


Isn't Something Missing?

by xTarmanderx



Series: Fighting Through the Storm of Life [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Human Theo Raeken, Hurt/Comfort, Light Smut, M/M, Memory Alteration, Public Hand Jobs, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-06-26 19:48:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 86,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15670080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: Liam knew something was missing from his life. Why did everyone else have the name of their soulmate and his was missing?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [manonlemelon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/manonlemelon/gifts).



> This was based off of Manon's brilliant prompt about an alternate version of 6A.
> 
> Basically, Theo is human in this and never raised by the dread doctors. Instead, Josh is the character that was the first chimera. In this alternate, everyone is born with the name of their soulmate on their left wrist. So here is a rewrite of 6A where instead of focusing on the Stydia relationship, we decided to Thiam it instead. 
> 
> I also kept some of the original dialogue from the episode but most is my own. All original lines are credited to the writers of Teen Wolf. 
> 
> Title comes from 'Missing' by Evanescence which is one of my favorite songs.

“I told you that we should have taken my truck,” Theo grinned smugly from where he sat on the ground as he watched Liam stare dejectedly at the flat tire.

“My car is reliable,” Liam whined before kicking the offending thing. More air hissed out of it from the contact and he grimaced. “This was supposed to be a romantic date.” He sighed unhappily and walked to join Theo, flopping down beside him on the grass. Theo gently shifted him upwards, settling Liam’s head in his lap as he stroked his fingers softly through his hair.

“It was great. We don’t have to be at some cliff to sit and look at the stars. I enjoyed making our own pizzas with you earlier.” Theo assured softly.

“I almost burned my kitchen down.” Liam reminded, pressing his face to Theo’s shirt to hide it against his stomach. “My mom was going to kill us.”

“Just you. She likes me too much,” Theo chuckled and scraped his nails lightly over Liam’s neck. “Seriously, Li, I had a great time.” He smiled fondly down at his boyfriend and the other looked up, echoing it just as brightly. “I’d celebrate one month with you with burnt pizzas every month if it meant spending time with you. I don’t care what we do, you know that.”

“I do.” Liam agreed as he sat up, shifting to sit in front of Theo. He reached forward and took his left hand, lightly sweeping his thumb over his name that was forever etched into Theo’s skin. How had he gotten so lucky with his soulmate? They’d been friends for close to four months now, since Theo had moved to Beacon Hills, and had been dating for the past one. There had been an instant connection between them, a draw that rivaled that of his best friend Mason and his soulmate Corey, but they’d played it safe while dealing with the dread doctors and the back-to-life chimera army led by Josh. If it had been up to Liam then Theo never would have been involved in any of it but unfortunately it wasn’t his decision.

Theo had moved back to Beacon Hills for the start of his senior year, joining Scott and Stiles and rekindling a friendship from their youth. According to Scott, Theo’s family had left town when he was nine years old after his older sister had drowned in the preserve.Tara Raeken had been playing on the rocks, falling and breaking her ankle before tumbling into the icy water. Theo had done everything in his power to save his sister but he’d been just a little too late. After that, the Raeken family had left town to try and collect the pieces of their life and escape the horrific memories. They’d finally returned nine years later, ready to face the world they had left behind.

Theo had returned different from the child that Scott and Stiles remembered. He’d outgrown his childhood asthma, found a heart medicine that allowed him to live his life like most normal teenagers, and had grown into his body. He hadn’t known about werewolves upon his return to Beacon Hills but it was impossible to keep from him for long. Honestly, he’d been impressed that Theo had figured it out just after Mason. He’d cornered Scott and Stiles in the locker room one day and demanded answers, not letting up until they’d relented and told him everything after he’d told them about seeing a naked wolf-boy running the streets late at night. Liam was still mortified that his unfortunate slipup had been Theo’s first impression of him.

“What are you thinking about?” Theo asked quietly, startling Liam from his thoughts. Flushing, he bit his inner cheek and offered his boyfriend a small smile.

“You. I just don’t know how I got so lucky,” he said honestly. Theo’s eyes softened and for a moment, Liam thought this might be it. Theo was going to lean in and kiss him, he could feel it in his bones. His eyes started to flutter shut as he leaned closer. Their lips were almost touching when headlights hit their faces, startling them apart.

“Maybe they have a spare.” Theo suggested as he turned his head, throwing up his hand in a wave at the car.

“Or maybe they’re the next serial killers of Beacon Hills,” the beta muttered under his breath as he got to his feet and offered his boyfriend a hand. Something raised the hair on the back of his neck as the car continued to roll past them, turned at a peculiar angle and slowly edging itself off the road.

“Weird. You think they’re okay?” Theo asked, starting to take a step forward. Liam’s hand shot out without conscious thought, settling on his chest to hold him back. The irregular heartbeat kicked up in speed for a moment, wide eyes turning to look at him. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” Liam confessed with a frown. “Something just...it doesn’t feel right.” He couldn’t quite explain it.

“We should see if they’re hurt. Come on.” Theo gently tugged his hand and he relented, moving forward with him to investigate. They walked slowly around the car, giving it a wide berth in case there was anyone inside that might attack. And if Liam made sure he was walking closer to the car to protect his boyfriend, so be it. Theo was a human and fragile, though said human firmly disagreed and frequently argued that he was just as durable as anyone else. Liam thought that his heart condition begged to differ.

“It looks aband-” Liam started, the words halting on his tongue as they reached the front of the car. The windshield was almost completely gone, reduced to a hole that looked like nothing he’d ever seen before. The passenger door was missing as well, looking as though someone had ripped it clean from its hinges. And in the backseat, a dark head of hair cowered down behind the passenger’s seat.

“Hey. Are you okay?” Theo asked, taking a step closer and moving his head to find a better angle to see who was hiding. “We aren’t going to hurt you. Why don’t you come on out, we can get you help.”

“Are they still out there?” A nervous voice asked. A young boy slowly peeked over the seat, dark eyes flitting between the pair of them.

“It’s just us.” Theo assured as he moved to open the door. The kid scrambled back against the opposite door, eyes widening in alarm, and Theo dropped into a crouch with his hands raised in a non threatening gesture. “We aren’t going to hurt you.”

Don’t let them take me!” The boy cried, raw panic and fear in his voice. “Don’t let them take me too.”

“I won’t.” Theo promised as he cast a look backwards at Liam, lips settling in a grim line. “Call Scott.”

-

Within the hour, Scott and Stiles had picked them up and they’d taken the three of them straight to the police station to see what they could find out about the boy’s missing parents. Alex, the young boy, had remained quiet while the older boys had talked though he’d stayed close to Theo’s side. He agreed to sit with him outside of the sheriff’s office while the others talked quietly inside, deciding on what to do with him.

“You think they’ll find my parents?” Alex asked quietly, breaking the silence. Theo turned his head and offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile, nodding.

“If anyone can do it, they can. You’ll be back in their arms in no time.” He said, careful not to give a time frame. “Still having a hard time remembering?” He inquired, watching the boy duck his head and stare down at the floor. “Hey, it’s okay.” Reaching over, he settled one hand firmly on his shoulder and squeezed gently.

“No it’s not. If I could just remember, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. They’d be out there looking for my parents!”

“You went through something traumatic, Alex. No one can blame you for not remembering the details right now. You’re probably still in shock.” Theo murmured. He understood exactly how the boy felt, though it had been nearly a decade since his own traumatic experience.

The door to his left opened and Theo looked up, smiling weakly at the sight of Liam. “We’ve got an idea.” He said softly, opening the door wider for the two of them. Theo nodded and followed Alex into the room, easing the door shut behind him. Stiles and the sheriff were already drawing the blinds as Scott motioned for Alex to sit down across from him.

“Alex, I want to do everything in my power to help you find your parents.” The sheriff said gently as he walked over to him. “We’ve got a method that’s a little unconventional and painful, but it could tell us exactly what happened to them.”

“I don’t care.” The boy said firmly, swallowing hard. “I want to find my mom and dad. Whatever it takes.”

“All right then.” John Stilinski nodded and took a step back, Scott taking his place. The true alpha moved his hand behind Alex’s head, his claws coming out to pierce the back of his neck.

“That never gets normal,” Theo muttered as he turned to look at Liam.

“At least he doesn’t use it all the time.” Liam reminded softly. “You doing okay?” He asked under his breath, concern filling his eyes.

“Just a little tired. I’ll be fine.” Theo assured, leaning his head up against him for a moment. “I’m more worried about him. Liam, what if something really did take his parents? He’s all alone…”

“The sheriff will figure out what to do with him,” he told him. “Maybe we should ask if one of the deputies can take you home. It’s almost midnight and you haven’t taken your meds since this morning, have you?”

“I’m fine.” Theo reiterated. “I want to stay and see what Scott finds out.”

“Okay. But after that, we’re taking you home. I know you’re exhausted.” Liam said, smiling fondly at him.

“I didn’t sleep all that well. Nightmares,” he shrugged slightly and shifted his attention back to Scott as the alpha pulled his claws free. A frown marred his features as he looked at the sheriff, shaking his head slightly.

“I’m not sure what happened. There was a man on a horse with a gun…” He started to explain what he had seen, watching Alex the entire time.

“Doesn’t sound very... _un_ natural to me.” John said carefully, pressing his lips together. “Sounds like it’s my type of jurisdiction.”

“I’m not so sure, sheriff. Something just doesn’t feel right.” Scott rubbed at his elbow, turning to look at Theo and Liam. “You two didn’t see anything else? Catch anything?” The latter question was directed at Liam.

“Nothing. No chemosignals, no blood….there was nothing.” Liam told him.

“It just doesn’t add up.” Theo crossed his arms over his chest, shifting his weight onto his right leg.

“They’re coming back. They’re coming for me.” Alex spoke up, fear in his voice.

“You’ll be safe here.” John promised, patting him lightly on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s go find you a place to stay for the night.” He guided the young boy to his feet and out of his office, leaving the teenagers behind.

“Scott, something doesn’t feel right.” Theo said, glancing at the shut door. “That kid was terrified. There’s no way this could have been human. The door was ripped off its hinges, people don’t usually do that kind of thing.”

“I know. We’ll go and check it out first thing in the morning.” Scott assured. “You and Liam should go home and get some rest. We’ll keep you posted if we find anything.” He watched Theo’s face fall and gave a gentle smile. “I know you want to help but we’ll all do better looking at this with fresh eyes in the morning.”

“You’re right,” he sighed quietly. “I just don’t like the feel of this. He’s on his own, scared that he’s going to get taken next. No kid deserves to be so afraid.”

“We’ll find his parents.” Liam squeezed his arm, gently pulling it away from his chest and sliding his hand down until their fingers tangled together. “Let’s go see if Parrish can drop us off.”

“All right.” Theo offered him a tired smile and nodded, bidding Scott and Stiles good night before following his boyfriend from the office. Luck was in their favor as they walked right into the path of the deputy, asking him if he had a break to take them home. He’d agreed pretty quickly, eager to get away from the monotony of paperwork, and walked them out to his patrol car. Theo had fallen asleep against Liam’s shoulder during the first three minutes of the car ride, his sleep plagued by flashes of monstrous blue eyes and Alex disappearing.

-

The next morning proved to be uneventful. Scott and Stiles had briefly updated Liam and Theo through texts after examining the car with Malia and Lydia, admitting there had been little to find. The lack of information left Theo feeling restless and on edge, something his parents had expressed concern about over breakfast. He’d promised that everything was fine and left in a hurry to pick Liam up, needing to get out of his own head with a distraction.

School had been equally uneventful until lunch when they’d managed to regroup, Stiles telling them about how there was an abandoned house at the address the kid had given to them. He’d desperately begged for people to go search the house with him but no one had agreed, either not believing it to be a supernatural threat or needing to stay for classes. Liam couldn’t afford to miss classes and Theo needed to keep his grades up with a scholarship on the line. They’d parted ways with the disgruntled human, Scott promising to keep him in check as they’d walked away.

Physics class seemed to drag on for Liam, as most classes did. He couldn’t help but attribute that to the bitterness of seeing most of the class, guys and girls alike, fawn over their new teacher. Theo seemed captivated at first but every time Liam turned to look at him, his boyfriend would meet his gaze and every shred of doubt would disappear with a warm smile. Still, that hadn’t kept him from sharing an anxious look with Mason once or twice. When Hayden answered a question out of nowhere with words that barely sounded like English, Liam wondered if he’d slipped into an alternate reality.

As Mr. Douglas told them what page number to turn to, Mason pulled out his phone and moved to Liam and Theo’s table. “Have any of you guys noticed that phones can’t geolocate today?” He asked, holding it out as Liam leaned over to check it out.

“Because that’s not a weird thing to say out of nowhere,” Theo snorted softly and grinned at his fellow human.

“It looks likes it works to me,” Liam said.

“That’s not north. That is.” Mason said, pointing in a different direction than the compass.

“Mine says that too.” Corey frowned down at his phone and set it on the table for them to see.

“I bet Mr. Douglas has a compass we can look at.” Mason grinned at his boyfriend and Corey vanished. The small group watched the cabinet ease open a moment later and then the chimera reappeared at their table, setting the stolen item down.

“So if these aren’t pointing north, then where are they pointing?” Liam frowned slightly as he looked at the phones and then the compass.

“We won’t know until we open the box.” Mason grinned, looking quite pleased with himself. At Corey and Liam’s looks of confusion, he shot Theo an exasperated look.

“Schrodinger's cat.” Theo said, rolling his eyes as they continued to look at him blankly. “Honestly, do either of you pay any attention?”

“My GPA is barely hanging onto a 2.7 right now,” Corey reminded with a sigh.

“Science is my worst subject.” Liam said as if that solved everything.

“Hopeless,” Theo and Mason said at the same time before sharing a grin. “So after school, we’re definitely going to follow this. Right?” Mason asked.

“Definitely.” Theo said. Mr. Douglas stopped at their table and told them to get back on task, effectively ending the conversation. All they had to do was wait for this and their next class to be over before they could go and investigate.

When the bell rung at the end of the day, they agreed to drive in Mason’s car as far as possible while following the compass. They’d managed to drive into a small suburban neighborhood, the compass starting to go haywire as they reached a house where Stiles’ Jeep was parked in the driveway. “Did you know they were here?” Theo asked Liam as they climbed out.

“Not at all.” Liam frowned and double checked his phone.

“Corey and I can take the front, you and Mason can take the back.” Theo told him as they walked up the driveway.

“Just be careful.” Liam said, leading Mason off toward the back of the house.

“You think we’ll find anything?” Corey asked as they walked inside, easing the front door open as quietly as possible.

“I don’t know. But one thing’s for sure - I’m going to find out.” Theo said, glancing at the stairwell. “You check around down here, I’ll look upstairs.” He said, already walking up the first step.

“I’ll be right up. Yell if you find anything.” Corey said, turning on his heel.

Theo walked slowly up the stairs, listening intently for any sounds upstairs. He broached the landing and turned, walking down the hall to one of the bedroom doors that was wide open. Stiles crashed into him, slamming the door shut and jumping as he came into contact with Theo. “Dude! You can’t just sneak up on a guy like that!”

“What’s wrong?” Theo frowned at him. Stiles opened his mouth to answer but at the other end of the hall, wind began to stir. “Stiles…” he warned, taking a step back. There was no way they’d reach the stairwell in time. Liam’s name was on the tip of his tongue but he bit down on it. If there was danger then the last thing he wanted to do was drag his boyfriend into it and watch him get hurt.

“Go go go!” Stiles ushered him back toward a shut door, the sound of spurs reaching their ears just as the first shot was fired. Theo threw himself back against the wall, watching Stiles fall into the doorway as they both scrambled to get out of reach. Turning their heads, they watched in terror as a faceless man continued to fire at them. Stiles sank into the corner, trying to make himself as small as possible. Theo pressed himself against the door at his back, desperately searching for the handle with shaking fingers. He shut his eyes tightly as another shot sounded just next to his head, shuddering hard. When he opened them again, the man was gone and he and Stiles were left staring at each other.

“Did...did…” Theo tried to form a complete sentence, breath coming in harsh gasps as his heart racketed against his chest. He reached up, fingers splaying over it as he fought to calm his breathing. Tears filled his eyes and he could see identical fear in Stiles.

Less than a moment later, Scott and the others came scrambling up the stairwell. “What? What happened?” Scott asked, half a step ahead of Liam.

“He was here. He shot at us,” Stiles answered quickly. “It was one of the guys you saw in Alex’s memory.”

“The guy who took his parents?” Mason asked with wide eyes.

“Are you hurt?” Liam demanded, stepping around Scott and putting his hands on Theo’s shoulders.

“Fine, I’m okay.” Theo mumbled, falling easily into Liam’s arms and curling around his boyfriend as he shuddered.

“No, no, no.” Stiles shook his head to answer Mason. “They weren’t just taken. They were, they were made to disappear. That’s why there’s no furniture, no photos, it’s like they never existed. They were erased.” He turned after a moment, opening the door to an empty bedroom. His lips set in a grim line as he turned back around and looked at Scott. “Still think this might not be supernatural?”

“This is intense,” Mason whispered.

“I think we need to get out of here before that guy comes back to finish the job.” Scott frowned. “Come on. We’ll go see what we can find out.” He clapped a hand on Stiles’ shoulder and squeezed gently. “Liam, you guys should go home.”

“I want to help.” Theo protested, straightening up and drawing himself out of Liam’s arms. His chest throbbed at the quick movement and the werewolf steadied him, concern flashing over his face. “I told Alex we would find his parents.”

“And we will. But right now, we need to do some research and figure out what this all means.” Scott said gently. “And your heart-”

“I’m fine,” Theo grit his teeth together as agitation flashed in his eyes. “I’m not just going to keel over.”

“You’re in pain.” Scott said gently. “Let us do some digging and see what we can find. Stiles is great at research. We’ll figure this out.”

“There’s a lacrosse game tonight.” Stiles said, scratching the back of his neck. “While you guys are there, Lydia and I can go to the library and see what we can find. We can reconvene after the game and talk more then.” He understood Theo not wanting to let it go. He couldn’t either.

“Deal.” Liam said before Theo could protest. “Let’s get out of here.” He took Theo’s hand in his, brushing his thumb along his name scripted on Theo’s wrist. Black lines traveled up his arm a moment later and Theo relaxed slightly, leaning closer to him as the descended the staircase together. “You okay?” He asked quietly as they made it outside to Mason’s car, opening the door for him.

“Just a little shaken up,” Theo confessed as he climbed in. He leaned into Liam as the beta slid in beside him, head coming to rest of Liam’s shoulder. “Sorry if I scared you.”

“I heard your heart pick up...I thought you might be having a heart attack or something.” Liam whispered, turning his head and leaning back into Theo so his chin rested against his forehead. “It was dangerous going up there on your own.”

“Stiles was with me, I wasn’t on my own up there.” Theo pointed out.

“You didn’t know that.” He countered with a quiet sigh. “If Stiles is right and people are being erased from existence...I don’t want you to be next.” He drew Theo’s hand into his lap, squeezing it gently. “Walking around remembering you without a trace...I can’t imagine living like Alex.”

“I’ll be more careful.” Theo promised, lips brushing softly against Liam’s collarbone. Nothing else was said between them as Mason and Corey entered the car, drawing Liam into a conversation about the upcoming scrimmage that night.

-

They made it back to the school just in time for practice, though Coach Finstock still spent fifteen minutes lecturing Liam and Corey on the importance of punctuality and something about grapefruits that none of the boys understood. Theo joined Mason to watch practice from the bleachers, completing some homework and deciding to catch a quick nap before the scrimmage game.

On the field, Liam and Corey traded hushed conversations and speculations about what was actually going on. The werewolf couldn’t keep his head on the field, too concerned with keeping an eye on Theo and making sure he was okay. At one point Finstock had launched a lacrosse ball at his head, hitting his ribcage instead and yelling that he start paying attention before he was fined for his head being in the clouds. Liam wasn’t sure that was even possible but he didn’t try and argue with the eccentric man. No good ever came from it.

At the end of the scrimmage match, the group of boys and now Hayden decided it would be a good idea to return the compass of Mr. Douglas and see what Stiles and Lydia had discovered in the library. They hadn’t been in the building for long before the werewolves and the chimera caught the scent of blood, Mason suggesting that it was coming from the vents. They’d quickly agreed to investigate and next thing Liam knew he was crashing through an open door and hitting the wall with a groan.

“Thanks Mason,” he whined over his shoulder.

“You okay?” Theo chuckled as he stepped into the room with Liam, smiling sympathetically at his boyfriend.

“Yep. Never better.” Liam rubbed at his forehead and pushed off of the wall, frowning slightly. “Whatever it is, it’s definitely down here.”

“This won’t be good.” Corey whispered asMason turned on his phone flashlight.

“Stay behind me. Hayden, keep an eye from the back.” Liam said firmly as he led them down a narrow passage. Theo stayed close as they walked, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. When they finally reached the end and turned around a small corner, Liam hesitated in front of a small door and glanced back at the others.

“It’s not going to bite you,” Mason attempted to encourage him. Everyone turned to look at him, shaking their heads in unison.

“So weird,” Theo muttered under his breath with a quick smile.

"Here goes nothing,” Liam reached for the door and slowly pulled it open. Disgust flashed on his face and he scrambled back a step, just out of reach of the body that fell to the floor.

“Oh god…” Hayden’s hand flew up to her mouth as she stared in horror at the bloodied corpse, the head split open.

“We need to call the sheriff.” Theo murmured, already pulling out his phone. “Come on, we should get out of here.” Something about it made his skin crawl. He tugged on Liam’s jersey and turned, the small group walking back out as Theo made the phone call to the sheriff. For the next half hour, they answered questions for police officers and explained to John how they’d managed to find a body. Stiles came racing toward them just as they were let go, his breath coming in anxious gasps.

“Oh thank god. You guys, it’s the Wild Hunt. They took Alex and you guys, you can’t be alone. You have to stay together or with Scott, even me. I can see them, I can see the ghost riders.” Stiles sputtered.

“Who is he?” Liam whispered quietly to Hayden.

“Do you go here?” Hayden frowned slightly as she studied him.

“What’s your name?” Mason asked.

“Guys, it’s Stiles.” Theo frowned at his friends and looked at the other boy. “So you found out what it is?” He watched Stiles stumble back a half step, his breath coming in sharper gasps. “Stiles?”

“Theo. It’s...it’s…” Stiles’ breath hitched as he stepped forward, grabbing him by the shoulders. “It’s happening. I’m next. They’re forgetting me, all of them.”

“But I haven’t.” Theo said, ignoring Liam’s warning growl in favor of reaching out to steady his friend.

“Then you’re probably next too. Listen to me. You have to stick together. They can’t forget you if you stay with them.” He swallowed hard. It was the only explanation that made sense. Had Scott forgotten him now that he’d parted ways from his best friend?

“I won’t let them forget you.” Theo squeezed his arm tightly.

“I have to find my dad. Maybe he still…” Stiles muttered and pulled himself free, shaking his head. “Stay with them. Don’t go anywhere else.” He said firmly before pushing through the group, racing toward the sheriff.

“Did you know him?” Liam frowned at Theo, taking him by the hand.

“He’s one of my best friends and he’s the son of the sheriff. Stiles Stilinski, he plays lacrosse with you. You...you don’t remember him?” Theo asked, wishing he didn’t already know the sickening truth. “What about Alex?”

“I don’t know anyone named Alex.” The words poured like ice down Theo’s spine and he tightened his hold on Liam’s hand. “Theo? What’s wrong?” He frowned as his boyfriend.

“Liam…” Theo whined softly, fighting the urge to scream. He couldn’t end up like Stiles, he had to get his friends to remember.

“I’ve got to take Corey and Hayden home,” Mason interrupted.

“I’ll go with Theo. See you in the morning?” Liam tapped fists with his best friend and grinned as Mason nodded and walked away with the others. Theo took in a shuddering breath and started walking with Liam toward the parking lot, his heart racing frantically. Were these going to be his last moments with his boyfriend? Would he be ripped from Liam’s arms and disappear bit by bit until there was also no trace of him? What if he was left to wander like a ghost, trapped in this world yet unseen by all? That fate alone seemed worse than death.

“Theo?” Liam’s concerned voice drew his attention as they stepped out of the school. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re going to forget me,” Theo croaked out as a lump lodged in his throat. Tears burned in his eyes and he swallowed them down, turning to look at his boyfriend.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Frowning, Liam reached up and gently cupped his cheek. He couldn’t resist leaning into the touch, soaking in what could very well be his last moment with the boy that he loved. “What makes you think that?”

“You’re already forgetting people, Liam. You forgot Alex and you forgot Stiles and...and I’m next. I know about the Wild Hunt, I remember it from research with Mason. You see the hunt take place and you’re already lost.” Theo covered Liam’s hand on his cheek, the first of his tears starting to fall. “Liam-” A whinny nearby broke his train of thought and he snapped his head around, a cold stone settling in the pit of his stomach.

“What do you see?” Liam asked, looking around with a frown.

“Do you trust me?” Theo asked, a forlorn look crossing his face.

“You know I do,” Liam traced his fingers across his cheek, collecting his tears.

“Don’t look at them. Run.” Theo yanked himself back a step and tugged Liam toward the parking lot, his heart racing as the sound of galloping filled the air surrounding them. He stumbled blindly toward his truck, clinging to Liam’s hand for dear life as they ran from something only Theo could see. It took three tries to fish his keys from his pocket and unlock the vehicle, letting go of Liam long enough to get the door open and climb inside. As Liam shut the door, Theo’s gaze shifted to the windshield and his fingers stilled from where they were struggling to press the key into the ignition.

Ghost riders had surrounded the truck, most on horseback. There was no escape. They had come to collect him and he couldn’t outrun them. “Theo, are they gone?” Liam asked, drawing his gaze to the beta. “What’s wrong?” The scent of absolute terror filled the cab of the truck, sickening him to his core. He never wanted Theo to smell like that, it was too wrong.

“There’s no time.” Theo swallowed hard and dropped his hand into his lap, defeated as he looked at Liam. He shuddered and blinked back fresh tears, turning to face his boyfriend. “I’m so sorry, Liam. I...I didn’t know.” If he hadn’t gone upstairs in the house, this wouldn’t be happening. All Liam had asked of him was to be careful and he’d let him down. “I’m going to be erased, Liam.” The words were barely a whisper from his lips. “Just like Alex, just like Stiles. You’re going to...to forget me.”

“I won’t.” Liam drew in a shuddering breath, his eyes shining brightly with tears. “No. I won’t. I won’t forget you. Theo, please. Just drive. We can still make it.” He pleaded.

“They’ll keep hunting until they catch me.” Theo swallowed thickly and reached for Liam’s hand again, slowly tangling their fingers together. “Liam, you’ll forget me. You will. Just try to find a way to remember me, okay? Find something, anything so I’m not gone.”

“Theo-” Liam whispered brokenly, shaking his head. “I won’t do it. I won’t let you go. I can’t forget you.”

“Remember…” Theo let out a wet laugh, leaning closer. “Remember how you were the first guy I talked to at school here? Remember how you offered me a tour of the school? How you convinced me to come and watch you play lacrosse because you said studying was boring?” Liam laughed weakly in response and Theo’s breath hitched. “How you saved my life from the beast?”

“You saved my life too.” Liam whispered, tightening his hold on Theo’s hand until his knuckles were white. “You’re my anchor, Theo.”

“I know.” Theo shifted and pressed their foreheads together, shuddering again. “Just remember...remember I love you.” Liam nodded weakly and felt Theo’s lips against his own, brushing them in a featherlight kiss. The moment was fleeting and before he could respond, Theo was ripped from him. The door to the truck slammed shut and Theo was gone.

“No no no.” Liam whined, tears streaming down his cheeks as he stared at the empty space next to him. “Theo no, _please_.” He cried brokenly, reaching for the space that was no longer warm. His gaze dropped to his left wrist, the fingers of his right hand coming up to brush over Theo’s name. “I won’t forget you. I’ll remember.” He promised, tracing the name that meant everything to him. At least he had this reminder.

Until he didn’t.

Horror filled him as the name slowly began to disintegrate, tiny specks falling away until there was nothing but the smooth skin of his wrist. “ _No_!” He scrambled back and grabbed the door, wrenching it open. He had to get home. He had to get home and write it all down, pour out every memory of Theo before it was too late. Even if the memories faded, he’d recognize his own handwriting. He’d remember his name.

He broke into a sprint for his house, running as though his life depended on it. As he reached the front door, he threw it open and ignored his mom’s shout of his name as he launched himself up the stairs. He rushed to his desk and fumbled with the mess of papers on it, tearing through them until at last a blank piece of paper was uncovered. Uncapping a pen, he set it to the paper and wrote _T_ before he froze.

Something tickled at the back of his memory, an elusive phantom that shimmered and drifted apart before he could truly see it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and his friends start to realize that something is missing from their lives. But what - or who - could it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like the last chapter, some dialogue from the show has been used and other parts were reworked to make it fit better. 
> 
> Also, thank you so much for all of the support for the last chapter. It meant everything to me! <3

Liam sighed as he leaned his chin down on his hand, absently tracing pictures across the table with his left hand. A few feet away, his mother prattled on about her plans for the day while he was at school but it was hard to concentrate. His fingers kept straying to the blank patch of skin on his wrist, a soundless taunt and reminder of his troubled childhood. All his life, he’d been different. It hadn’t been until he’d transferred to Beacon Hills that he’d finally found acceptance and a small amount of comfort in the friendship of Lydia Martin.

“Honey?” His mother called his name softly and drew his attention. “What’s wrong, are you okay?” She smoothed down his hair, dropping a kiss to the top of his head as she set a plate of chocolate chip pancakes in front of him. 

“Sorry. I was just thinking.” He straightened up, scrubbing his hand across his face. 

“It’s a little early for such deep thought, isn’t it?” She sat down beside him with a cup of coffee, watching him in concern. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

“I had some bad dreams,” he confessed as he picked up his fork. “More like memories, I guess. From when I was little…” he trailed off, knowing she would understand. It had been a frequent occurrence in his life. Ever since he was a small child, Liam’s peers had treated him differently because his soulmate’s name was missing. He’d been labeled as a freak, alongside being a ticking time bomb, and he’d been bullied as a result. The taunts and jeers still echoed in his head.

“But you aren’t alone anymore. I thought it helped, having that girl as your friend?” She reached over and lightly squeezed his hand. 

“Lydia’s two years older than me, she’s busy being a senior with her friends. This is their last year together so she’s been spending more time with them.” He cut into his breakfast with a little more force than necessary. She was the only other person Liam knew that didn’t have the name of her soulmate on her wrist. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think it was because his soulmate was dead. But Scott had lost his soulmate a year prior and her name still lived on his wrist, faded and reminiscent of a white ink tattoo. Deaton had said it was an unusual case but he’d heard of other individuals that had the same dilemma. Sometimes Liam wondered if it was just a cruel twist of fate. Perhaps his soulmate had almost existed but things had changed at the last second. A couple never going on that next date, a falling out before a marriage, a random one night stand that never happened. 

“I’m sorry, honey. You know you can always talk to me about it.” 

“I know. I just don’t know what else to say.” Liam muttered as he started to eat, shoulders slumping. 

“It’s okay, kiddo. Just know that I’m here whenever you want to talk.” 

“Thanks mom.” He smiled, grateful that she seemed to relax. “I appreciate it.” He added before focusing on finishing his breakfast. He glanced at the clock over the stove, eyes widening as she scarfed down the last few bites. “Crap! Mason will kill me if I’m late.” He lurched up from his chair and grabbed his backpack from the back of his chair. “Thanks mom,” he pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and hurried out the front door where his ride was waiting.

“Dude,” Mason said as he slid into the passenger seat. “That’s the third time this week that you’ve been late. What’s going on with you?” He asked, shifting his car into reverse.

“Just thinking a lot lately, I’m sorry. Team captain tryouts are coming up, I’ve got to start picking up so my grades don’t fall, and I haven’t been able to sleep.” He said, looking out the window as they drove. He lifted a hand in a friendly wave to Tara Raeken as they drove past her climbing into her own car. “At least we aren’t the only ones running late.”

“Yeah but she’s a senior. She can get away with it better than we can.” Mason reminded, grinning over at him. “So listen….” he started. Liam groaned, already knowing the direction this conversation was headed. Corey. “I know you wanted to check out that new arcade this afternoon-”

“Actually, I was going to talk to you about that.” Liam cut in, not wanting to hear the dreaded words. “Scott wants to help me get in shape for lacrosse season since he wants me to take his place as captain. We’ll probably be at the school late tonight.”

“I can give you a ride home after,” Mason offered. “I’ve volunteered to help with this study group for physics. We’re doing one of my favorite labs next week and some of the guys asked if I could help explain ferromagnetic properties and do a demo.”

“Oh.” Liam immediately felt guilty for assuming he was being ditched to hang out with Corey. “Remind me again why you’re taking physics a second time?”

“I took AP physics last year and it was the only science open this year. It’s technically just an audited class but...I’ve got enough credits so it doesn’t hurt me in the long run. Honors physics was all that was open and my advisor said it was better than trying to find an online class with such short notice.” 

“Still doesn’t make sense to me,” Liam chuckled as they pulled into the school parking lot. “Maybe we can grab a burger before your practice lab?” He asked hesitantly as Mason slid into a parking space.

“As long as it’s a quick run.” Mason said, cutting the engine and putting his keys in his pocket. 

“That’s fine. Your truck doesn’t get terrible gas mileage either,” he joked as he climbed out. Mason followed a moment later, giving Liam a strange look.

“Dude, I don’t drive a truck.” He said slowly, gaze flicking between Liam and his own silver car. 

“Oh...right.” Liam said slowly, frowning. “Must have been thinking about someone else.” He shrugged and grabbed his bag, shutting the door. He tried to school his face into a neutral expression as Corey joined them, Hayden popping up a moment later. 

“Come on. I don’t want to be late for first period.” Hayden said, grabbing him by the hand and tugging him toward the building. Liam could only follow, trying to push the thought from his mind that her hand was far too small and the wrong shape against his.

-

“You ready?” Scott asked as he shifted in front of the goal post, twisting the lacrosse stick around in his hands. 

“Yeah.” Liam scooped up the ball, carefully cradling it as he watched his alpha. “Hey, can I ask you something?” He asked as he tossed the ball to warm up, slowly backing his way across the field.

“You just did,” Scott said with a smile in his voice. “What’s going on? It felt like your chemosignals were all over the place today.” 

“I just...I don’t know. This morning was just like any other but it was different. I thought Mason had a different car, I found myself stopping at a locker I’ve never paid attention to before, and I feel like...like something isn’t quite right. Like there’s an itch I can’t scratch.” Liam confessed, catching the ball that Scott launched his way before throwing it back. “And I don’t know what’s wrong. I’ve been thinking about my wrist all day too. Usually I can just put it aside but...this feels different.”

“Well Deaton said it wasn’t completely unheard of, right?” Scott asked as he leaned back to make a clean catch. “It’s normal to want to think about it, Liam. You’re different and that’s okay. Lydia thinks about hers a lot too.”

“Do you think about yours?” Liam blurted out before he could stop himself. Scott paused and Liam grit his teeth, swallowing. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“I think about Allison every day.” Scott said, so softly that Liam almost missed it. “I know it’s not the same as what you’re going through.” He added, offering a gentle smile as he returned the ball again. “Come on, let’s see what you can do.” He caught the ball and nodded for Liam to walk closer again. “Let’s see what you’re made of, captain.” 

They spent the next half hour tossing the ball around, working up a nice sweat. It was nearing 9 at night when Scott paused after catching the ball, his head tilted. He turned slowly and scanned the woods behind the goal, frowning slightly. “Did you feel that?” He asked.

“Feel what?”

“Thought I heard something,” he shook his head and turned back around. “Forget it. All right, let’s keep going.”

“Or we could call it.” Liam said, casting a glance over his shoulder back at the gym. Surely Mason was close to being done with his physics lab, right?

“We gotta work on your back shots.” Scott said, a chuckle in his voice. 

“Why?” Liam wrinkled his nose in annoyance. 

“Liam, they suck.” Scott said, unable to fight his smile. “We’ve talked about this before. If you’re going to be captain then you have to find your weaknesses and improve on them.”

“What are you talking about?” Liam rolled his eyes. “You said I was one of the best players you’d ever seen.”

“Your back shots could use a little work, that’s all I’m saying.” Scott said. Liam flexed his jaw muscles, resisting to urge to grind his teeth as he bent his knees and scooped up a new ball. Before Scott could fall into a defensive stance, Liam hurled the ball back over his shoulder and hit the corner of the net. He continued the motion a few times to prove his point, grinning as Scott watched him in disbelief. “Must have been thinking of someone else.” Scott said as Liam picked up a new ball.

“Maybe someone else who should be team captain?” He scoffed, rolling his shoulders back. 

“We’ll make it.” Scott assured, catching the next throw. Around them, the lights of the stadium began to dim.

“Guess we have to go now,” Liam said, a wistful tone entering his voice. Scott resisted the urge to frown as he watched his beta, wondering what was going on. 

“No, we don’t.” He flashed his eyes red and Liam echoed bright yellow, falling into an offensive stance. They spent the next fifteen minutes were spent practicing maneuvers but Scott could tell Liam’s head wasn’t in it. After one particularly nasty tackle, the fangs came out and Scott knelt down beside his beta. “You’re losing control. What’s happening?” He frowned, reaching out to steady his hand on Liam’s shoulder.

“I’m still struggling.” Liam growled, screwing his eyes shut. “The sun, the moon, the truth.” He panted out harshly between his teeth, curling in on himself as he struggled to come back to himself. He repeated the mantra again and again, digging his nails into the ground until his claws finally retracted. He sighed and hung his head, slumping as Scott’s hand moved down his arm. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“Don’t be. You’re still learning, Liam. I thought the mantra was helping as your anchor.” Scott said softly. For a moment,  Liam kept quiet. He could dimly remember the calming scent of vanilla and raspberries, something fleeting that disappeared before he could grab onto it.

“It was. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Liam admitted, rubbing at his forehead for a moment. “I’m okay. Let’s get back to practice.” He slowly stood and accepted Scott’s outstretched hand, collecting his lacrosse stick on the way up. He stepped back a few feet and started to pick up a ball when something in the air caught his attention. A frantic heartbeat, racing far too quickly that came from the school. One that he knew too well.

“What’s wrong?” Scott frowned, watching the ball tumble to the ground from Liam’s fingers.

“Something’s happening to Mason.” Liam dropped his lacrosse stick and broke into a sprint, heart hammering against his ribcage as he raced for the school. He burst through the doors without care, trusting that Scott was on his heels and would back him up instantly. Throwing open the doors to the library, Liam barreled inside and narrowly avoided his best friend’s attack.

“Mase, it’s me!” He yelled out as he tripped himself, tumbling onto the floor.

“Liam? Scott? Oh thank god,” Mason breathed out as he dropped what he was holding and helped Liam to his feet. “They were here. The ghost riders.” 

“Here? Just now?” Scott frowned, eyes widening in concern. 

“Is your heart okay? Do you need to sit down?” Liam asked, steadying a hand on Mason’s elbow and looking him over in concern.

“What? Dude, my heart is fine.” Mason said, shaking him off for the moment. “There were two ghost riders up there.” He pointed at the upper level. 

“What were they doing?” Scott asked, glancing up and then back at the two boys.

“We didn’t see when they came in. Only when Corey turned invisible,” Mason started. Liam’s eyes flashed yellow, a low growl escaping him as he took a step to advance on Corey.

“You brought him into this? Are you crazy?” He demanded, scowling as Mason stepped between them.

“He was trying to protect me,” Mason said quickly. “Liam, he saved my life.”

“They didn’t care about us, they didn’t even see us.” Corey said, nervously glancing around the group and subtly shifting closer to Mason. “They walked right by and never looked back when they were walking out the doors.”

“Anything else? Do you know what they were doing?” Scott asked.

“Uh…” Mason looked back at Corey, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. He smacked his lips together and looked back at the true alpha. “They just jumped down and left. They were just standing there…”

“There was no one else here?” Liam asked in disbelief. 

“Are you sure they didn’t take someone?” Scott said, sharing an uneasy look with Liam. 

“No. N-no,” Corey stammered with a quick glance at Mason. “It was just us.” 

“We need to get you guys home.” Scott said firmly, casting another glance at the upper level of the library. “We shouldn’t be here if they decide to come back.” He ushered the younger boys ahead of him, sighing as he heard Liam whispering the mantra under his breath. He’d thought the beta was making progress with his bitter feelings toward the chimera but apparently that was thrown out the window. He couldn’t blame him for being worried about his best friend. As they reached the parking lot, Liam paused at the edge of the sidewalk and slowly scanned the near empty lot.

“What is it?” Mason asked, turning and raising an eyebrow at his best friend.

“I don’t know.” Liam murmured, shifting anxiously and casting another glance around. “I...I thought I felt something…”

“It was probably just the wind.” Scott said, giving Mason a look before he turned to face Liam. “Do you need a ride or-”

“I’m taking him.” Mason said, nodding slightly. “Corey’s got his own car and Liam’s is on my way.” That was a complete lie but no one chose to call him on it. “He put his stuff in my car earlier after we had dinner.” The beta nodded and forced himself to start walking again, a feeling of unease settling over him as they walked. Just before climbing into Mason’s car, there was a pinch on his left wrist that made him jolt in surprise. He rubbed at it with a frown, opening the passenger door and climbing into his seat to wait while Mason bid his boyfriend goodbye.  He glanced down at his skin, frowning slightly. Must have been a bug bite.

Mason joined him a moment later, not speaking as he put the car into reverse. They were halfway to Liam’s before he finally sighed, turning off the radio that was playing quietly in the background. “You know, I wish you liked Corey a little more.” He confessed softly. The exhaustion in his voice tugged at Liam, guilt flashing openly across his face as he looked at his friend. “You could at least try,” he added.

“I  _ am _ trying.” Liam defended, fidgeting his hands in his lap. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Mase.” How could he possibly explain the sense of unease that filled him at the moment? “I’m sorry. I’ll do better.”

“I don’t  _ want _ you to do better, Liam. This isn’t like homework where you can half-ass it and think it’s going to all work out in the end.” He pulled into Liam’s driveway, shifting the gear into park. “Where’s my best friend at? The one who told me he’d always be happy for me?"

“I haven’t gone anywhere.” Liam protested, trying not to sound like he was whining. “I’m sorry, Mason. I really am.” He pouted at the other boy.

“I know. Just...just talk to me, okay? I worry about you.” He said, frowning in concern. “You know that, don’t you?”

“Absolutely. And that goes both ways,” Liam added quickly. “Are we okay?”

“Yeah. I guess.” Mason lifted his shoulder in a half shrug and Liam bit back a grimace. He’d have to work to fix this mistake, that was for sure. “See you tomorrow?”

“Totally.” Liam smiled weakly and climbed from the car, grabbing his backpack. He headed quietly inside, grateful his parents were out for the night as he slammed his bedroom door. Flopping down onto the bed, he nuzzled his cheek into his pillow and let out a quiet groan. Maybe he needed to talk to Lydia about what was going on. She’d forgiven plenty of people in the past, perhaps she could help him through this too. He rolled onto his side and kicked his shoes off, not bothering to change out of his jersey. It was only a matter of minutes before he’d fallen into a restless slumber.

-

The start of the next day passed in a blur. Liam had a hard time keeping his head focused, showing up late to most of his classes and bumping into numerous annoyed teenagers in the hallway. After an awful practice and truly spectacular fit of rage, Liam found himself storming into the locker room buried under the equipment he’d been delegated to carrying. He tossed it into the corner, looking around quickly before slamming his fist against the side of the locker. Pain radiated through his hand and he grit his teeth, striking hard and fast a few more times until fresh blood welled between his knuckles. 

A heavy sigh from a few feet away jolted him and he scrambled back, eyes widening as he saw Scott sitting between a set of lockers. A look of concern told him that he’d been there the entire time. “I blew it, didn’t I?” He slumped down to sit on the bench beside his alpha, hanging his head.

“You blew it off. You’d have to be trying to blow it.” Scott said, bringing up a hand to rest on his upper back. 

“Maybe someone else deserves to be captain,” Liam whispered. “I can’t handle it, Scott. With school work and everything else we have to deal with…”

“Your old school started three weeks before us. Riverside started two weeks ago. We’re already behind and we haven’t even started. Half of our team can’t play the game, most of the guys don’t know how to score….” Scott squeezed the base of his neck and stood up, pacing the length of lockers in front of them. “I can’t stay and be captain, Liam. I feel like that’s what you’re waiting for but I just can’t do it. I need to focus on my classes so I can graduate with my friends and make sure I get into college. Someone has to step up and take my place. It should be you.” He stopped in front of Liam, gently setting his hands on his shoulders as the beta looked up at him. “I don’t want to pass the mantle on to anyone else.”

“Yeah?” Liam’s lip quivered, tears burning in his eyes. “Coach doesn’t want me, Scott. I don’t even think the team wants me.” The first tear fell and he clenched his fists against his knees, knuckling going white as he struggled to cling to control.

“It’s not up to them!” Scott said, gripping him closer to his throat and digging his thumbs in against Liam’s collarbone. “It’s up to you. I can’t make you want it, Liam. It has to come from you. People are always going to come at you and they won’t stop. They’ll want to drag you down because you’re better than them, you’re smarter than them, and you have twice as much heart. They’re going to knock you flat on the ground but you can’t just sit there. You have to drag yourself back onto your feet, prove that they can’t keep you there. No one can have that kind of power over you except for you. You have to be a leader and you can’t run. You can’t just give up like this.”

A slow clap sounded from behind them, startling the two apart. Liam stood on shaky legs, watching Coach Finstock walk out of his office. The words he said barely registered to Liam as he complimented Scott and then told the beta he eagerly awaited crushing him in the upcoming season. Liam shook his head in disbelief, sharing a weak smile with Scott and nodding slightly as they were left alone again. His friend didn’t say another word, grabbing his bookbag and smiling weakly before walking out of the locker room. 

He pulled out his phone and sent a text to Lydia, asking if she’d be willing to meet with him for a few minutes before he needed to go home. She told him to meet her in the library and he hurried there, beginning to smile as he saw her. It dropped abruptly at the sight of Tara Raeken sitting down next to her, head tipped back in a laugh while Lydia smiled brightly. He approached slowly and set his bag down, pulling out a chair and taking a seat. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh hey, Liam.” Tara grinned and angled herself to face him. “I was telling Lydia an AP english joke. You wouldn’t get it,” she waved it off. “Lydia, I’ll see you later tonight for our study session?”

“Of course.” Lydia smiled warmly at her friend. She watched her leave and gave Liam her full attention, raising an eyebrow. “What’s going on? It’s not a hunt for a dead body or something, is it?” A slight frown marred her features before she smoothed it back out. 

“What? No.” Liam scoffed and rapidly tapped his fingers against the table for a moment. “Does...does your wrist ever feel weird? The one that isn’t….” he trailed off and her lips softened in understanding.

“Yeah. Sometimes it feels like an itch that I can’t quite scratch. Or that I’ve been pinched quickly but it only lasts for a moment.” She said softly, reaching across the table and covering his hand with her own. “Deaton says it might be my inner longing finding new ways to manifest itself outside of my subconscious.” 

“I just can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t focus right now and it started yesterday morning. I was looking at my wrist and just...I don’t know. I can’t explain it.” He sighed heavily.

“Maybe we can talk to Deaton together. He might have a new theory or be better able to explain it.” She squeezed gently and Liam nodded, looking down at the table.

“I guess so. Thanks,” he added with a weak smile. “I should probably go and grab my lacrosse bag. Mason is taking me home and he’s probably waiting in the parking lot.”

“I’ll text you about meeting Deaton.” Lydia promised as she withdrew her hand. “Try not to worry, Liam.” He nodded and got to his feet, collecting his belongings and heading for the locker room. Mason was waiting for him just outside, his lips twisted down in a frown and his hands shoved into his pockets. 

“Everything okay?” Liam asked, leading him into the room and to his locker. 

“I can’t stop thinking about the ghost riders. I’ve been trying to wrap my head around it all day and there’s no other explanation. They had to have had someone up there with them, someone we can’t remember.”

“How do you know?” Liam asked, opening his duffel bag and beginning to place his uniform inside. 

“Logic. And Corey. He’s got a hunch about this.” Mason said quietly. Liam couldn’t help but scoff, rolling his eyes as he turned to look at his friend.

“Yeah? Is that a chameleon thing? I thought all they were good for was disappearing.” The words were out of his mouth before he could think them through but the damage was done. Mason’s face fell immediately, hurt flickering in his gaze while his heart beat unsteadily.

“He just wants to help,” 

“Yeah, well,” Liam  sighed and gave Mason his full attention. “Where was he when we were fighting a nine foot werewolf to save you? And why did he stay loyal to Josh for so long?”

“We all trusted Josh, Liam. Even you.” The human pointed out. 

“I’ll trust him when he does something trustworthy. Unlike right now. I can hear his nervous heartbeat across the room.” Liam’s eyes flashed gold over Mason’s shoulder and he turned, watching his boyfriend appear from thin air. 

“Well you forgave Hayden no problem,” Corey defended as he took a step forward. 

“He could have died,” Liam said as he moved forward to Mason’s other side. “He nearly gave his life fighting Sebastian. I can’t say the same for you.”

“She, dude.” Mason gave Liam a weird look, looking between his best friend and boyfriend.

“It’s not like I have claws and fangs,” Corey scowled. 

“He’s right. Chameleons aren’t the apex predators of the animal kingdom, all he can do is disappear.” Mason interrupted. Corey reeled back a half step, his eyes widening as he looked at his boyfriend. 

“Then maybe that’s what he should do.” Liam said quietly, picking up his bag. He watched the pair and shook his head, walking out of the locker room with a heavy sigh. He fished his phone and headphones from his pocket, pushing one bud into his ear as he cranked up the volume as loud as he could stand it. He just needed to block out the rest of the world.

He started his trek away from the school, making it to the edge of the preserve before he dropped his bags. Tucking his phone securely into his pocket, he broke into a run and attempted to drown out the rest of the world. Like an echo of a memory, a laugh reached his ears that he didn’t recognize.  _ “Come on, little wolf. You know I can’t keep up.” _ The voice teased lightly. He stumbled to a halt and ripped out his earbuds, eyes darting around the woods 

“Hello?” He asked, taking a step forward. His eyes scanned the trees for a moment, confusion filling him. “Anyone there?” He worries his lower lip between his teeth, sharpening his senses. There was a bird nearby and the usual insects but nothing else made a sound. “Come on, Liam. You’re losing it.” He dug his fingers against his temples and walked a few more feet before dropping to sit on the ground, leaning back against one of the trees. 

He knew that he’d royally fucked up. The hurt and betrayal in Mason’s eyes flashed through his mind, guilt coiled tight in his stomach. He hadn’t completely meant what he’d said. Corey made Mason happy, he had since they’d first started dating. It was out of concern for his best friend that he didn’t trust the chameleon. He wanted to protect Mason at all costs and he couldn’t trust the other boy, not even a little. What had he really done to help? He’d kidnapped Mason when they’d discovered he was the beast and their running had resulted in Mason getting caught by the dread doctors. So maybe he was still bitter but he felt justified.

Still, he hadn’t exactly given Corey a fair chance. He was always looking for a way to antagonize the other boy and rile him up. Mason had called him out on his bullshit a number of times through winter break when he’d been asked to be their third wheel. Hayden was the only one that had made it bearable, listening to him rant and rave until he’d finally gotten things off of his chest. He hadn’t even tried talking to Scott about it, too afraid of the disappointment sure to be shown. 

He pulled out his phone and thumbed through his contacts, tapping his index finger against the side as he stared down at the name of the last person he wanted to call. Before he could talk himself out of it, he pressed the green symbol and lifted his phone to his ear. “Can you meet me at the school in a couple of hours? We need to talk.”

-

He crossed into the courtyard a short while later, the sun fully set and the moon starting to rise. He’d run home to drop off his belongings and grab a quick shower before his meeting. His mother had snagged him before he’d been able to run out the door, convincing him that he had time to eat a small homemade pizza. He’d covered it in black olives, green peppers, and pepperoni without thinking twice before she’d called him out for making something he didn’t like. Confused, he’d stared down at the pizza until she’d offered to swap and handed him her freshly finished personal pie. He’d thanked her and run out the door, shoving the thought away before he could drown in it. He had enough going on. A handful of wrong ingredients wasn’t cause for alarm.

He was mildly impressed that his Bronco made it to the school, thanks to his dad changing a flat tire for him. He hadn’t known where it had come from but the sheriff had come by and alerted his parents that his car had been abandoned on the side of the road. He’d had no memory of it and his mother had smiled sympathetically and blamed the full moon. He hadn’t bothered to correct her and say it had been a waxing moon that night. As he climbed from the car, he put his keys away and a shiver ran down his spine. He glanced around the nearly empty parking lot and started to jog toward the main building.

Corey was waiting for him in the courtyard, shifting anxiously on the balls of his feet. “I wasn’t sure you really wanted to see me,” he said slowly.

“Me either,” Liam confessed. “I shouldn’t have said what I did. Mason...I just want what’s best for him. I don’t want to see him get hurt.”

“I don’t want that either.” Corey took a cautious step toward him. “I thought I could not be friends with you or your pack and everything would be fine. But it’s tearing Mason apart. I don’t want him to feel like he’s going to have to choose between us. That’s not fair to him.”

“You’re right,” Liam agreed softly. “I’m not trying to come between you, Corey.” He slowly took a few steps closer. “He deserves to be happy and I’m glad he’s got you.”

“I don’t want to come between your friendship either. Mason matters to both of us. I don’t want him to feel like he has to pick sides here.”

“Do you want me to act like nothing happened?” Liam asked, fighting the urge to scoff. “I can’t do that, Corey.”

“I’m not asking you to. But maybe...maybe we can work together. We can find the missing pieces from last night.” Corey offered, shrugging lightly. “At least it’s something.”

“You think we can find a trace of the ghost riders?” Liam raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t know. Maybe. Or maybe some trace of the person they took?” Corey fidgeted uncomfortably, glancing to the side. “I...I feel like I might have known him. I was at work this afternoon and...something happened.” He said hesitantly.

“Like what?” 

“I was on my break and I walked down to get a coffee from a shop on the corner. And I walked out with a green tea instead. I don’t drink green tea and Mason hates it. But I...I think I used to know someone who did. Does that sound crazy?”

“Not at all.” Liam assured softly. “I was running through the preserve earlier and thought I heard someone talking to me. It was only for a second but...it felt real. I don’t know what’s happening.” He whispered.

“Maybe together we can find him.” Corey offered his hand, watching him. “You want to do this? Hold my hand.”

“Here goes nothing,” Liam muttered before reaching over. For a moment, nothing happened. He turned his head to ask Corey a question and then watched the background start to shimmer. Slowly looking around, he found himself seeing a strange green hue encompassing everything around him. “Whoa.”

“Not quite what you’re used to?” Corey asked, glancing sideways at him. When Liam frowned and tilted his head, he smiled weakly. “Mason said it was different seeing through a werewolf’s eyes.”

“The colors are different.” Liam said, following him into the building. “So what exactly are we looking for?”

“Anything that stands out. I thought we could take a look around the library. Maybe the ghost riders left traces that I can see this way.” Corey suggested as they walked down the hall. He opened the doors to the library and led Liam to the middle of the room, turning in a slow circle. “But if we’re looking for a book, we’ll be here for a while.” Liam huffed out a quiet laugh, nodding in agreement. 

He looked slowly around the upper level of the library, tilting his head slightly as something reflected against the railing. “Can you see that?” He asked, pointing to what looked like possibly an index card wedged in the railing.

“I do. Let go for a second.” Corey said, his gaze fixed on the card. “Tell me if you still see it.”

Liam did as instructed, shaking his head as the card seemed to vanish. “Not anymore. Do you think you can get it?” He asked. He heard soft footsteps head toward the stairs and then a light jog up them, followed by furniture moving around. He followed the movement as best as he could by tracking Corey’s heartbeat, watching the boy reappear a moment later.

“See it now?” Corey asked, holding the card between his forefinger and thumb.

“Yeah.” Liam nodded, grinning slightly. “I think it’s time to call Mason.”

Fifteen minutes later, the other boy arrived at the library. He seemed surprised to see them working together but didn’t say anything, only walking over to stand between them. Corey explained what they had found after a nod from Liam, flipping the card over to show it to his boyfriend. “It’s like Schrodinger’s cat.” Mason said, eyes lighting up. “It wasn’t there until you saw it. Then it became real.”

“I still don’t get it,” Corey said quietly. 

“Mase, what do you think it is?” Liam asked, gesturing for him to flip the blank card,

“It looks like a library card.” Mason said, tapping one finger against the barcode on the other side. “But it’s blank.”

“Let me see it.” Liam was already reaching for the card, snagging it from his friend’s hold. He vaulted himself over the library desk and swiped the card through the reader. The information on a student flashed on the screen and he looked up, his eyes wide. “Jake Sullivan. How did I forget him?”

Mason leaned over to get a look at the screen, a quiet gasp escaping him. “He was in the physics lab with me and Corey last night. How did we not remember him?”

“I have Spanish with him.” Liam frowned, setting the blank library card off to the side. “How is this possible?”

“The ghost riders erased him from existence.” Mason whispered, looking between the two of them. He glanced at the card, eyes going impossibly wide as he picked it up to reveal a student ID with a picture on it. “That wasn’t like that a minute ago.”

“But it’s not him.” Corey said quietly, glancing over at Liam.  “Is it?”

“Not at all.” Liam sighed and raked his fingers back through his hair. “I thought maybe….”

“What?” Mason frowned and turned his head between the two of them. “Did I miss something?”

“Liam thought he heard a voice earlier and I bought green tea for someone today. Neither of us can remember who. We thought maybe it was Jake.” Corey admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Oh thank god,” Mason whispered with a relieved laugh. “I thought I was going crazy earlier today. I was helping tutor a senior English class and I had all of this research printed for this Shakespeare group but none of them had asked for it. And I was sure I was supposed to bring the research to the tutoring session today. I knew it wasn’t for our English class but...I just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.”

“So what do we do now?” Corey asked, frowning. “We know that we’re missing someone and I bet it’s the same person for all of us.”

“Now we tell Scott.” Liam said. “You guys call him and see what he says to do, I’ll meet you in the parking lot. There’s something I have to do first.”

“Can you do me a solid and return this on the way?” Mason grabbed his wrist before he could run. He pulled out a broken compass, pressing it into Liam’s hand. “I have no idea why I have Mr. Douglas’ compass but we should probably return it.”

“Yeah.” Liam nodded and turned it over in his hand, fingers lightly brushing over the cracked surface. “I’ll be right back.” He took a few steps and then turned back around, seeking Corey out. “Your hunch was right.”

“I wish it hadn’t been.” Corey’s lips set in a frown. Liam nodded in understanding and turned, hurrying out of the room. He stopped at Coach Finstock’s office first, trading quick words with the main as he grabbed the clipboard to sign up for team captain. When the older man made a comment about knowing the mind changing ability of holding a boy’s hand, Liam tossed the clipboard back down and hurried from the room. Some things he did not need to know. 

As he made his way upstairs to the physics classroom, he freed the compass from his pocket and opened it just outside of the room. He ran his fingers along the cracked glass once again, frowning as he slowly turned it in his hands. “O….” he murmured, tilting it away from the light. “T….” he rotated it again carefully, “E…..H?” He frowned, something nagging at the back of his mind. His mind went back through the day,, from circling random letters and doodling around them in his textbooks to finding strange patterns in the woods during his run.

The compass might have been broken but perhaps it could still lead them to another clue. He tucked it securely back into his pants and jogged downstairs, joining Mason and Corey in the parking lot. “What did Scott say?” He asked.

“That we should meet him at Deaton’s clinic. He thinks the same thing is happening to him. I’ll drive and we can get your cars later.” Mason said, keys already in hand as they rushed to his car. Liam nodded and climbed in the back without a second thought, meeting Corey’s gaze in the rearview mirror and offering him a half smile. The drive to the clinic was silent, each of them wrapped up in the mystery plaguing them. Liam was out of the car the moment Mason had parked, bursting into the clinic and heading straight into the back room. 

“Did you find something?” He asked, rocking anxiously on the balls of his feet as he came to a halt.

“I’m not sure.” Scott said before explaining what he, Lydia, and Malia had been experiencing throughout the day. “And there was something else. I found a picture in my bedroom. It was just of us as a pack but it looked like people were missing. I’m not sure how many.”

“Maybe it’s the person we’ve forgotten too, along with whoever you’ve forgotten.” Liam suggested, trying not to sound eager. 

“It could just be the same person.” Deaton warned. 

“I’ve been hearing this...this voice. I heard it in the preserve when I was running and I couldn’t place it. And then I’ve been seeing these letters all day and it doesn’t add up.”

“Perhaps you should try what Lydia is going to do.” Deaton suggested. “I want you to try automatic writing. You’ll be able to write outside of your consciousness and perhaps invoke the memory of the person you’ve forgotten. I’ll need an item-”

“Here.” Liam pulled out the compass, handing it over. He resisted the urge to pace as Deaton set up two separate stations in his workspace, keeping them far enough apart so the two could sit back to back and not have to interact. 

“Liam, Lydia, have a seat.” Deaton said as he turned on the lamp above the compass. “I’m hoping that the silence, the darkness of the room, and the small light will allow you to find a more peaceful and trancelike state. Lydia, Liam, I want you both to stare into the light and let go of all thoughts. Clear your minds.” Liam inhaled slowly through his nose, trying to relax as he set his hand down beside the pen. It took a few moments to clear his head before he slowly picked up the pen, pressing it down on the paper. Distantly he could hear the scratching of Lydia’s pen against her paper and he pressed the sound away, focusing on the light in front of him and the faint hum that emitted from it. 

Slowly his pen began to move across the paper. Where the girl behind him wrote in a furious scrawl, Liam took his time with gentle strokes over the page. He curled the letters with care, continuing to stare straight ahead at the compass.Gently lifting the pen, he started to snap out of it as he heard Lydia frantically scribbling away behind him. He turned just as Deaton cut the light out, frowning as he looked down at the paper in front of her. “Mischief?”

“No, that’s not right.” Scott said, tapping the edge of the paper. “Big picture, guys. It spells…’stiles’.”

“What does that mean?” Malia snatched the paper, holding it above her head at an angle. “What does mischief have to do with it?”

“What the hell is a stiles?” Lydia asked, her voice sounding rough. 

“Dude, hang on a second.” Mason gripped Liam’s shoulder and turned him back around. He looked down at his own paper, lips pressing in a thin line as he stared down at the name in front of him. It was written in a neat cursive loop, a style that he’d never seen before looking back up at him.

“Who the hell is Theo?” 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam now has three clues but what do they all mean?

Liam’s pen rapped lightly against his desk, his leg jiggling at a fast pace beneath it as the stared at the words written in front of him.  _ Theo. Stiles. Mischief.  _ But what did any of it mean? One was a name but the other two? Mason had told him a stile was something like a ladder, made to help people climb over fences and such. And he already knew what mischief was. But the three together? He had no clue. 

He circled the name in the middle again before dropping his pen, looking up at the front of the room again. Mr. Douglas was in the middle of explaining something but he couldn’t be bothered to pay attention. There was too much running through his mind and he was finding it harder to focus. Twice that morning Hayden had pulled him aside, worried as his eyes flashed yellow and he’d struggled to calm down. He hadn’t known what had triggered the shift but it hadn’t mattered. She’d spent ten minutes dunking his head under the sink in the girl’s bathroom to try and get him to - quite literally - cool down. At least she’d had the foresight to make sure it was empty and lock the door behind them. 

A light cough drew his attention now, snapping him back to reality. He frowned as Mr. Douglas started to cough, the sound worsening by the second. Something inside of him twisted at the desperate gasp for air, the rattling he could hear coming from the man. His heart was racing with the need to breathe and Liam gripped the edge of his table, his claws coming out. The older man covered his mouth and hurried between the tables, locking himself in the back supply closet. While everyone else turned to stare in concern, Liam closed his eyes. 

_ “Scott?!” He yelled for his alpha, hating the note of fear in his tone. He wasn’t the one that was supposed to be afraid right now. “Scott, help!” What was he supposed to do in this situation? It wasn’t like drawing the pain away was going to do him any good. “Theo, come on, I need you to breathe.” He pleaded, settling his hand on someone’s chest. “Someone do something!” He bellowed, twisting his head around to glare at the group of surrounding students. “Call for an ambulance, for fuck’s sake!” He grit his teeth and turned back to the person collapsed in front of him. “It’s okay, Theo. You’re going to be okay, I promise. Help is coming.” _

“Liam?” A soft hand on his arm startled him and he jerked back, meeting Hayden’s concerned gaze. “What’s wrong?”

“I..I….” Liam stammered, struggling to draw in a breath. He let go of the table and lurched to his feet with a dangerous sway. His hand covered his chest, pressing in against his erratic heart as he looked for the nearest door. Ignoring the cries of his friends, he stumbled blindly toward the exit and fell out into the hall. He dragged himself out of the way and leaned up against the lockers, a choked noise escaping as he attempted to draw in breath. Blood roared in his ears, panic turning the blood in his veins into slush. He felt as though he were freezing and burning all at once, trapped in the confines of his own skin.

“Liam? Liam, come on.” Mason’s voice reached his ears, echoing through the static white noise that seemed wrapped around his brain. “The sun, the moon, the truth. Right? Say it with me, man. The sun, the moon, the truth.” He set his hand on Liam’s knee, fingers pressing hard into the rough denim of his jeans. He reached out without conscious thought, seeking Mason’s left wrist. He brushed his thumb along his pulse and mentally counted down from there, his breath evening out with each number. Mason’s wrist weren’t as small as he’d expected and something curled inside his gut at the realization.

“He’s gone,” he whined out softly. Gentle fingers brushed against his shoulder and he looked up at his best friend. “We’ve lost someone we know and we can’t remember him. All we have is a name and a bunch of words that don’t make sense. Why can’t I remember?”

“It’s what the ghost riders do, Liam. They’ve erased him. But we’re going to find a way to bring him back. Him and anyone else that the ghost riders have taken.” Mason said, knowing it was a promise he couldn’t quite make. “This isn’t normal for you, Liam. I haven’t seen you have a panic attack since-”

“The berserkers.” He swallowed hard, leaning his head back against the lockers and tilting his head up to stare at the ceiling. 

“Yeah. Back when you wouldn’t tell me what was going on.” Mason flicked his arm and Liam managed a weak smile. “It’s pretty bad, isn’t it?” He asked gently. 

“Everything feels wrong, Mason. And I can’t really explain it.” Liam yanked his fingers back through his hair in mild frustration. 

“We’re all starting to feel on edge right now. No one blames you for not being able to hold it together.”

“But I  _ should _ be able to. When Scott’s gone, I’m going to be the one taking over. He doesn’t fall apart and freak out like this.” Liam said quietly. 

“Scott is also two years older  _ and _ he’s been a werewolf for twice as long as you. He didn’t have it all figured out in the beginning either. Someone had to help him along the way.” Mason murmured, sympathy flickering in his gaze. “I can’t help you if you won’t let me, man. You’re my best bro. So right now, let me help you.” Liam watched him for a long moment, searching his face carefully before nodding.

“Okay.” Liam held out his hand and Mason grinned, helping him onto his feet. He slung his arm around the beta and he couldn’t resist leaning into his side, feeling a little more settled in his skin.

-

The rest of the morning passed with minor incident. Liam was able to keep his head down during his remaining classes under the pretense of having a headache and sticking to the back of the classroom. When it came time to join his friends for lunch, he put in one earbud and joined them at their usual table on the far side of the cafeteria. Mason shot him a worried look over his lack of food but Liam only shook his head, slumping to put his head down on crossed arms. The very idea of trying to eat was making his stomach turn and he didn’t have the energy to go stand in line.

Scott and the older crowd joined them a couple of minutes later, taking their usual seats. His alpha raised an eyebrow in concern and reached over, lightly squeezing his upper arm. Liam opened his mouth to try and reassure him when Tara Raeken approached the table. She dropped into the seat beside Lydia as though she owned it, grinning and leaning forward on her elbows. “You guys hear about the wicked party tonight?”

“Yeah. It’s for the lacrosse team. Isn’t Nathan throwing it?” Mason asked, glancing around the table.

“I don’t think we’ll be making it, Tara. We have someone we’re looking for.” Lydia smiled apologetically at her friend. Her eyes lit up in response.

“Who? Is it someone I need to beat up? Someone that’s pissed you off?” Her eyes glittered with curiosity and something in Liam coiled.

“Not exactly.” Corey said, biting the inside of his cheek and glancing around the table. “Hey, you work part time in the office, right?” He asked slowly.

“I do morning announcements and it’s basically my after lunch schedule. Why?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“We’re looking for someone...but we only have a first name. Maybe even just a nickname.” Lydia said carefully after getting a nod of approval from Scott. “I don’t suppose you’d be able to help us out?”

“Totally! You know I’d do anything for you, Lydia. Except heroin because I just can’t with needles.” Tara shuddered dramatically. “Who are you looking for?”

“His name is Theo.” Mason told her. “At least we think it is.”

“I can already tell you there’s no one here with that name. No Theo, no Theodore, no Theodosia - it is a name Mason Hewitt, don’t give me that look - or anyone else.” Tara chuckled and tilted her head. “Actually, funny story. My parents were going to call me Theo but I ended up being a girl. They were hugely disappointed. My dad had even painted the nursery with footballs because he was so convinced I was going to be a boy.” She laughed lightly, her eyes twinkling with mirth. “Crazy, right?”

“Not exactly…” Liam said as he lifted his head and sat up straighter. He turned his head to look at Scott, raising an eyebrow at him. The other boy minutely shook his head, warning him to save it for later. 

“Ms. Raeken!” A teacher called for Tara across the cafeteria and she pulled a face, getting to her feet and grabbing her bag.

“Duty calls, amigos and amigas. Catch you on the flip side.” She winked and walked away, leaving them to mull over her quick anecdote.

“Is it possible?” Liam blurted out when it seemed no one was going to start the conversation. “We forgot Jake yesterday...could she have forgotten a brother? Could it be that simple?” He asked softly.

“In theory…” Scott said hesitantly, scratching the back of his neck. “But she didn’t seem like the name meant anything in particular.”

“Well maybe she hasn’t realized something’s missing yet. We didn’t notice and for all we know, this guy has been missing for days. Maybe even months,” Liam said with a small frown. “It can’t hurt to consider it a possibility, right?”

“As long as you’re equally willing to keep an open mind.” Scott replied gently. “Sometimes the strength of wanting something can overshadow the reality and the truth of the matter. After school, Lydia and I were going to try and talk to the sheriff and see if he can help us.”

“We can see what we’ve figured out after that.” Mason piped in. “We’ve got all afternoon to try and search for more clues.”

“So we’ll split up. I’ll talk to the sheriff, maybe you guys can try and talk to Tara after school.” Scott suggested.

“It’s as good a plan as we’ve got.” Corey spoke up, nodding. “We’ve got study hall next period in the library so we can decide what’s next.”

“Deal.” Liam cracked a smile, something resembling hope starting to bloom in his chest. Maybe, just maybe, they would start to get some answers.

-

“We have a problem.” Hayden announced as she dropped into a chair across from Liam. “Gwen’s sister Phoebe is missing.” She said. 

“Gwen has a sister?” Mason frowned, lips pressing into a thin line. 

“Taken by the ghost riders. Gwen said she saw one in her front yard last night and then her sister was missing today. No one can remember her but Phoebe.” Hayden explained, twisting her fingers together nervously for a moment.

“But if the ghost riders erased her from existence then why does Gwen remember her?” Corey asked, leaning in closer and lowering his voice. 

“Maybe…” Liam hesitated, glancing around the library before mirroring Corey. “Maybe it’s because she saw the ghost rider too.” He murmured.

“But Corey and I both saw ghost riders. We couldn’t remember Jake until you guys found his library card,” Mason reminded as he tapped his pen against the corner of the table. “Although…” he chewed his lip for a moment, head cocked to the side, “maybe it’s more than that. Corey and I were invisible to them and they didn’t seem to notice us. They walked right out of here the night they took Jake. But what if you can remember who they’ve taken if you see them because that marks you as next?”

“Then that makes Gwen a target and we need to tell Scott.” Liam said immediately, starting to get up. Hayden’s hand shot out, fingers curling tightly around his wrist.

“Hang on a second. I’ve already told Gwen she’s in danger and she thought I was making fun of her. Telling Scott won’t do any good. What’s he going to go to stop them?” She frowned.

“Maybe he can come up with a plan.” Liam suggested as he sank back into his chair. “We can at least keep an eye on Gwen for the day.”

“Except at night when we have no idea where she’ll be.” Corey sighed heavily.

“Maybe Hayden can ask her.” Mason said, shifting his attention over to the female in question.

“I won’t have to ask. She’s going to be at the lacrosse party tonight.” Hayden unlocked her phone and tapped the screen a few times, sliding it to the middle of the table so they could see the invitation. “She’s been asking people about her sister all day. I can guarantee that she’ll be there doing the same thing.”

“So we go to the party and make sure she’s safe.” Corey suggested. Liam nodded and rubbed at his temple, frowning slightly as he stared at the invitation.

_ “Come on, Liam. You can skip a party just this once.” A warm voice laughed in his ear, arms tightening around his waist. “Please? Just this time, I won’t ask you again.” _

_ “How can I say no to you?” He smiled warmly at the other person, his heart skipping a beat as he turned his head to look at him. “I know the party life isn’t really your thing.” _

_ “I just don’t see the point in attending something I can’t enjoy. I can’t drink, I can’t do drugs, I can’t dance longer than three songs, what’s the point in going?” The voice chuckled against his temple. _

“Liam?” Hayden’s worried voice brought him back to the library. “You spaced out on us.”

“Sorry. I was just…” Liam bit his lip, shaking his head. “It was nothing.” He knew that she knew he was lying but thankfully she decided not to call him on it. “We can’t just protect her at a random party. It’d be too open to patrol properly.”

“Actually, I have an idea about that. It involves a change of venue but it’s the safest place I know. Hayden, how fast can you spread the word about a change of location?” Mason asked, a slow grin spreading on his face.

“Give me half an hour.” Hayden smirked and Liam knew it was going to be an interesting night.

-

After getting approval from Scott to do whatever it took to keep Gwen safe (Liam had conveniently forgotten to mention throwing a party at his house), Mason and Hayden had agreed to keep an eye on Gwen. Corey had to go in for a three hour shift for his job and Liam had asked for a couple of hours to get something done. He’d been evasive on purpose, knowing full well that his best friend would try and talk him out of what he was doing. 

He shut the door of his Bronco and stepped into the driveway, staring up at the house in front of him. He’d never stepped foot on the property before but the Raeken family had always been friendly. Tara’s parents, Mike and Connie, had always joined in for the neighborhood barbecues and vigilantly attended HOA meetings. Since Tara was a few years older, Liam had never really had reasons to seek her out. But since his transfer to Beacon Hills High, she’d often been seen hanging around Scott and Lydia. She didn’t know the secrets they harbored but it was often joked that it was a matter of time before she knew. 

Liam tried to give himself a pep talk as he walked up the stone path to the front door. He just needed some sign that Theo had existed, had lived here before being erased from existence. Tara’s story had been too coincidental and he needed to find answers. He raised his fist to knock, pausing as he established how many people were inside. A lone heartbeat jumped as the sound of his knock rang through the otherwise silent house. Soft footfalls crosses to the door and a teary-eyes brunette opened the door, using the back of her wrist to wipe her eyes. 

_ “Hey Mrs. Raeken-“ Liam started, the words dying in his mouth as the crying woman greeted him. “What’s wrong?” A coil of dread filled his stomach. He’d known, deep down, that there was a reason why Theo had not been answering his texts. Something inside had urged him to come and check on his friend and now he wondered with a cold sense of dread if it was too late. _

_ “He’s just having a bad day, sweetheart. He’s not in shape to be seeing people right now.” She gave him a watery smile and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. He sharpened his senses to hear the ragged draws for breath upstairs and the uneven thump of a familiar heartbeat. The unmistakable taint of blood reached his nose, his stomach clenching at the horrific scent.  _

_ “Is he going to be okay?” He asked weakly, barely keeping the whine from his voice. The question seemed to jar Theo’s mom and she covered her mouth, a half sob slipping through her fingers. _

_ “I don’t know.” _

“Liam? Honey, are you in there?” A playful voice shook him from his thoughts and he looked up to find Connie  drying her eyes and smiling at him. 

“Sorry, Mrs. Raeken.” He flushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I just…” he hesitated, watching her for a moment longer. “Is this a bad time?”

“Heavens no. I was just chopping onions for my casserole and listening to my favorite podcast. Do you want to come in?” She asked, taking a small step back for him. Before he could talk himself out of it, he nodded and slipped into the house. “Tara’s still at the school but she should be home in a few minutes.”

“I was hoping that I could talk to you, actually.” Liam began, “Tara said something today and it...it reminded me of something.” He followed her into the kitchen, hopping onto one of the barstools as she picked up her knife to resume chopping vegetables. “She said you thought about naming her Theo?”

“Is she still telling people about that? Her father did  _ not _ paint footballs around her nursery, she just likes to embellish a little.” Connie let out a small laugh, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she looked at him. “Mike and I always wanted a second kid but it never worked out. The timing was always wrong and we were happy with our daughter. We almost lost her once, when she was just a little girl.” Her eyes glazed over slightly. “She was in the woods one night and I guess she was playing on the rocks by the water. One of the coldest nights of the year and she fell in and broke her leg. She nearly drowned but she managed to pull herself from the water and waited until help found her.” 

“She was lucky.” Liam said softly, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I should go, Mrs. Raeken. I’m sorry to bother you.” He said sincerely as he slid from the stool. He didn’t know what any of it meant but it was clear that she didn’t seem to remember anyone named Theo. It didn’t mean that he didn’t exist but she didn’t have the answers he was looking for.

“You know, Liam, you should stop by more often. It’s always nice to see such a ray of sunshine in our house.” She smiled warmly at him.

_ “Truthfully, I don’t know what we’d do without you. You’re just such a ray of sunshine in his life, Liam. I haven’t seen him smile in days and yet one visit from you and he can’t stop. You’re such a good friend.” _

“Excuse me.” Liam murmured, hurrying out of the kitchen before she could say anything else. He stumbled out the front door and let it shut loudly behind him before slumping back against it. What the hell was happening?

-

“This is a terrible plan,” Liam crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the frame of the door.

“This is the greatest plan.” Mason corrected, tossing a grin over his shoulder as he popped open another bag of chips. “Can you find me another mixing bowl for these?”

“You’d better stay and help me clean this up.” Liam warned before stepping further into the kitchen. He spent the next minute going through cabinets, grabbing a few extra bowls before turning to his best friend. “Do you think I’m crazy?” He blurted out.

“Um...is this a trick question?” Frowning, Mason set down the bag of pretzels and turned to give Liam his full attention.

“I think I’m losing my mind, Mason. I went to see Tara Raeken’s family today to ask about Theo. And I kept...hearing things? Having flashbacks? I’m not sure what was going on…”

“You’re under a lot of stress right now. Everyone is keyed up now that we know the threat we’re up against and knowing we’re missing someone? Of course you went looking for answers. Did you find any?”

“I don’t think so.” Slowly shaking his head, he braced his elbows on the counter and buried his face in his hands. “Just more questions.”

“We’ll find answers when we figure out how to fight the ghost riders. There’s gotta be a way to bring everyone back.” Mason rubbed his upper back. “We’ll find our friend. No one messes with the McCall pack.” Liam let out a weak laugh and nodded, leaning up against his friend’s side.

“Thanks,” he whispered.

“That’s what best friends are for. Now help me finish setting this stuff out and getting the lights set up for the DJ.” Mason knocked their shoulders together before stepping away.

Within the hour, they’d finished securing the house and the party had started. Gwen had been among the first to arrive, followed shortly by Corey and Hayden. Mason had secured the front door with a line of mountain ash and for the first time, Liam felt himself relax. All they had to do was last the night at Scott’s house and then figure out a plan to continue keeping Gwen safe. A few feet away, Mason and Corey were chatting happily with a lacrosse player. It gave everything a sense of normalcy, if only for a suspended moment in time.

“Hey Dumb-bar,” Nathan’s snarl was the only warning he got before he was being shoved up against the wall. He grit his teeth, nails biting into his claws as the itch to shift prickled over his skin. “You think you can just steal my party? What gave you the right?”

“How about three hundred dollars?” Mason asked, stepping up with a handful of cash. Nathan let go of the collar of Liam’s shirt, raising an eyebrow.

“Consider this your down payment.” He said, patting Liam on the chest before walking away.

“Liam, dude,” Mason hissed as he stepped closer to his friend. “You okay?”

“Fine,” Liam growled out with a grimace. He breathed in deeply and retracted his claws. “You didn’t have to pay him.”

“It’s his own money.” Mason smirked, looking pleased. “Corey stole his wallet when he saw him headed your way.”

“Then you definitely didn’t need to pay him.” Liam grinned, nodding in thanks to his friend. “How’s everything look so far?”

“It’s great. All the exits are sealed by mountain ash, Gwen’s in the kitchen, and I’m ready to get my moves on with Corey.” His eyes twinkled in delight and Liam chuckled softly. He wished, if only for a moment, that they could return to a simpler time where they were oblivious to the supernatural threats around them. Mason had already been through so much, as they all had, and he wished his best friend could catch a break if only for the night.

“Go dance with him. Hayden and I will keep an eye on Gwen.” He assured, already starting to walk away. He found her waiting at the base of the stairs, a cup of liquor in her hands. “You know we can’t get drunk, right?” He asked as he leaned up against the wall beside her.

“What?” Her lips pulled into a dejected frown and he offered her a sympathetic smile.

“Our bodies heal too fast and process the alcohol too quickly. Scott says if you drink it fast enough you might feel a little something but not enough to get drunk or really buzzed.” He explained.

“Do you want to dance with me then?” Hayden asked, emptying the cup and flashing him a bright smile.

“I thought you didn’t like dancing? You said you couldn’t last long than three songs before you’re exhausted.” His brow knitted together and she mirrored his confusion, tilting her head.

“Liam, I love to dance. Come on, let me prove it to you.” Before he could say anything, she had him by the hand and was pulling him toward the throng of bodies dancing in the living room. Outside, thunder boomed loudly. He tensed but the DJ only turned the music up louder, effectively drowning out the noise. Hayden slipped her arms around Liam’s neck and pressed into his chest, hips moving in slow rotations against him as she moved to the steady thump of the bass. He put his hands on her waist and tried to copy her movements but everything felt wrong. She wasn’t tall enough and his fingers didn’t splay across her hips the way that he’d imagined they would, fingers needing to press against her hip bones. 

“Hayden…” Liam started, his fingers twitching in an aborted movement to let go of her.

“Shh, I know.” Smiling up at him, she leaned in and softly brushed her lips over his. He almost leaned into it, a part of him burning to be kissed like this, but it wasn’t right.

“No,” he whispered as he pulled back and put a few inches between them. Crestfallen, she met his gaze and squared her jaw.

“I should be going.” She flicked her gaze to where Gwen was sulking around the kitchen. Dropping her arms, she crumpled the cup she’d still been holding and disappeared into the crowd. Liam sighed quietly and began to move around the living room, picking up discarded cups and trying to tune out everyone around him. Still, he couldn’t help but overhear Corey and Mason a few minutes later.

“...I don’t know if I can fight like Liam.” The words struck a chord of guilt in his chest and he hung his head. He’d been the one to put that doubt in Corey, to convince him that he was worthless. He owed him countless apologies and maybe a groveling session to make up for it. Mason quietly reassured his boyfriend and urged him back onto the dancefloor, leaving Liam to drown in his spiraling thoughts once again. He couldn’t help but look down at his wrist, rubbing his index finger over the blank space on his skin. Why wasn’t he allowed to have something like that?

A scream from the top of the stairs jarred him and he bolted over, his body thrumming with energy. Gwen narrowly avoided a collision with him, stumbling and throwing a look over her shoulder. “He’s here! Oh god, he’s here.” She wailed, a tremor in her voice.

“Who?” Liam frowned and scanned the empty staircase.

“He’s right there, can’t you see him?” She pointed midway up the stairs and Liam shook his head mutely. “He’s coming for us! Liam, do something!” She shook his arm before running for the kitchen. “Help me, please!” She begged.

“Liam!” Corey’s voice rang out. “It’s a ghost rider, he’s heading for the kitchen. He’s right there!” He turned his head and watched Corey slowly reappear, holding the arm of something that looked like a walking nightmare. With holes where his eyes should be and grotesquely stretched skin, Liam found himself staring at a ghost rider. The rider turned his head toward Corey and slammed his against the wall, paying no attention to any of them. At least not until the partygoers began to scream.

“Everyone, out!” Liam commanded above the confusion and chaos. The ghost rider didn’t move, his head slowly turning as he scanned the crowd for his prey. “Mason, do it now!” He yelled as the rider’s soulless gaze fell on Gwen. His best friend nodded and scattered mountain ash across the floor, creating a barrier just as the ghost rider’s whip descended on them. It cracked loudly against the barrier, a small crack appearing.

“Liam...I don’t think it’s going to stop him!” Mason warned.

“Then we have to keep him distracted.” Liam grit his teeth, his eyes flashing yellow. He grabbed the nearest object, a simple white lamp - Melissa would kill him later, he knew she still held an intense dislike for him - and sent it crashing into the ghost rider. He paused momentarily in attacking the barrier with his whip, shuffling around at a leisurely pace to observe Liam. He stepped forward and grabbed him by the throat, tossing him like a rag doll against the wall. 

“Guys…” Mason yelled, jumping as the ghost rider resumed his assault on the barrier. “I think he’s breaking through!” Corey’s eyes widened as he looked over at his boyfriend. He took a moment to size up the ghost rider and swallowed hard, darting forward and attempting to tackle him. The rider stopped him with ease, throwing him against the stairwell and advancing once again on the kitchen. 

Liam got unsteadily to his feet, ears still ringing from the impact. He watched Corey get back up and nodded silently at him, flicking his gaze to the ghost rider and then back. The pair lunged forward in unison, each grabbing an arm of the rider and attempting to drag him back. They managed a couple of feet before being thrown off, crashing into opposite walls and crumpling back onto the floor. Liam struggled up onto his elbows, blood trickling from his nose as he tried to reorient himself.

Gwen and Mason were racing back inside, the horror on Gwen’s face suggesting there had been more waiting for her outside. The whip cracked down again, the mountain ash protection vanishing as the whip broke through the shield and wrapped around her ankle. She screamed and clawed at the floor as he began to drag her closer. Hayden and Mason grabbed onto her arms and pulled back, struggling to keep hold as the rider dragged them into the living room. 

“Freeze!” Parrish’s voice rang out sharply, the front door banging open as the hellhound stormed into the room. Much to everyone’s surprise, the ghost rider stopped what he was doing and slowly turned his head to look at him. “Let her go!” The deputy commanded, gun level at the back of his target.

“Parrish, shoot him!” Liam yelled as the ghost rider tightened his hold on his whip and began to pull again.

“Everyone, down on the ground!” Parrish barked the order before unloading his clip into the ghost rider. It didn’t seem to even faze him though he did pause and let go of Gwen. He turned slowly to face the hellhound, coiling his whip around his hand in an easy loop. “Get down on your knees!” Parrish said, his hands trembling slightly as the ghost rider approached at a leisurely pace. “On. Your. Knees.” He repeated, the barrel of his gun nearly pressed now against his forehead. Liam watched from where he knelt on the floor, a cold shiver running up his spine. The wind picked up around them, leaves stirring through the air, and the ghost rider was gone just as easily as he’d come.

“What the hell…” Mason breathed out. Guiding Gwen back onto her feet, he exchanged a worried look with his boyfriend. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Corey sat up and held the side of his head, wincing. “Where’d he go?”

“He just disappeared.” Parrish murmured. “Did he take anyone?”

“I...I don’t think so.” Liam said, grimacing as the words bounced around his skull. Even with advanced healing, concussions were still a bitch. “He seemed to only care about Gwen.”

“There’s no telling when they’ll come back. You should have protection for the night.” Parrish said as he looked over at her. 

“She can stay with me.” Hayden offered, gently touching the other girl’s arm. “My sister is working third shift tonight at the station and won’t be back.”

“I can station myself outside for the night.” Parrish said.

“What were you even doing here?” Liam asked as he stood up, reaching out to steady himself against the wall.

“Neighbor called in a noise complaint and I said I’d look into it.” The hellhound smirked slightly. “Although…” the expression dropped into a frown, “I shouldn’t have to tell you that underage drinking is illegal.”

“Do you really have to lecture us about that right now?” Liam whined. Parrish’s gaze softened as he looked around the living room and shook his head.

“No. Scott should be home any minute, he was just arriving at the station when I was called out here. I’ll take the girls home. You guys can stay here and clean up.” He said firmly before nodding at Hayden and Gwen. The pair linked arms and walked outside, huddled together and speaking in low whispers. Parrish took another look around before he followed, telling Liam to call him if anything else should happen. As the front door clicked shut, Liam looked over at Mason.

“You should go and take Corey home. I’ll handle cleaning up and talking to Scott.” He said quietly.

“Dude, no. The party was my idea and I should take responsibility. You’ll never get this place cleaned by yourself before he gets back.” Mason frowned.

“I know. But Corey looks as bad as I feel and he doesn’t heal as fast. His concussion might last a few hours and he should rest.” Liam replied, glancing over at the chimera. “Thanks for helping. Really,” he added softly. 

“But I didn’t even stop him,” Corey sighed wearily and slumped his shoulders.

“Neither did I.” Liam reminded. “But you tried and that’s what counts.”

“Come on.” Mason slipped his arm around his boyfriend’s waist, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Let’s get you home. Thanks, Liam.” He sent him a grateful smile before walking out, leaving the beta to clean up the mess.

He was pouring out the seventh full cup he’d discovered when Scott’s front door opened. He heard the weary sigh of his alpha and tucked his shoulders in closer to his body, shrinking in on himself. “Liam,” his alpha called quietly.

“You said to find a safe place,” Liam said as he stepped into the living room and watched the older boy. Disappointment rolled off Scott in waves, choking the air around him. “So we brought the party here,” he continued as Scott turned in a circle to assess the damage done to his home.

“Who said to throw a party at all?” Scott frowned at him.

“I didn’t know what else to do,” Liam whined. “Hayden said Gwen was going to be at the party tonight and I knew we couldn’t protect her there and then Mason said your place was the safest in Beacon Hills but it didn’t matter because the ghost riders still showed up and got inside.” Scott’s gaze snapped to him in alarm and Liam quickly backtracked. “But they didn’t take anyone! Parrish arrived and I think they were afraid of him because they disappeared. Gwen didn’t get taken.”

“But you saw one of the ghost riders.” Scott took a step forward and Liam shrank back in response, ducking his head.

“Corey made him visible so we could fight him.”

“Liam, you know what the myth says. If you see them then that means you’re next.” The pain in Scott’s voice made him want to curl into a ball.

“Well everyone at the…” he trailed off, a sudden lump in his throat. “I put them all in danger. They all saw him, Scott.”

“Who?”

“Everyone at the party.” Liam’s lip quivered. “They’re all going to be taken, aren’t they? I fucked up, Scott.” Tears pricked at his eyes and Scott crossed over to him, wrapping his arms around him tightly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Liam whispered against his shoulder. He wasn’t ready to be the stand-in alpha, not when he continued to make such costly mistakes. If everyone was taken it was going to be all his fault.

“We’ll find a way to keep them safe.” Scott murmured against the top of his head, broad hand stroking down his back. “I should have been here. I shouldn’t have asked you to stand up and fight against them on your own. I’m sorry.” He said quietly, letting Liam cling to him as fine tremors ran through the beta. “Why don’t you help me clean up for the night and then stay?” He couldn’t let Liam leave in a state like this. As his beta nodded against his chest, Scott managed a smile and loosened his hold. “You start upstairs and I’ll work down here, okay? Take a minute and get yourself cleaned up.” He suggested gently.

“Okay.” Liam gently detached himself from his alpha and rubbed at his eyes, managing a weak smile. He headed back into the kitchen and grabbed a trash bag, heading upstairs to get started in the bathroom at the top of the stairs. He poured the cups out and stacked them, clearing the counter and wiping it down after throwing everything away. The door to the medicine cabinet was ajar and he opened it to clear out a handful of pretzels someone had left on the shelf, shaking his head as he reached up to straighten the pill bottles. His fingers curled around one of the smaller bottles, thumb brushing carefully across the label as he lost focus.

_ “Don’t you dare,” a voice groaned against his chest as he started to shift. “Liam, no. I’m comfortable.” The boy continued to whine. He opened his mouth to argue further but a cough stopped him in his tracks, breath seizing for a moment. Liam’s heart skipped a beat as he waited for him to calm back down, remaining perfectly still until the coughing fit had subsided. _

_ “Comfortable or not, you need this.” Liam eased himself out from under the other boy and reached for the bottle of pills on the nightstand. He opened it and shook a pill into his palm, grabbing the bottled water he’d come to always keep on his bedside table before offering both to him. “Come on, Theo." _

_ “I hate taking them.” He sighed and popped the pills into his mouth, chasing them with a swallow of water shortly after. “They make me tired.” _

_ “No, they make you feel better.” Liam capped the water and set it back on the nightstand. “Why don’t you give me your glasses too?” _

_ “I can’t put my contacts in right now. Smoke hurts too much.” Theo reminded, laying his head back down on Liam’s chest.  _

_ “You won’t need them. You’re going to fall asleep soon and you don’t need to break another pair of glasses.” He smirked, gently lifting the glasses and easing them from Theo’s face. He reached back and carefully set them on the nightstand, making sure he moved as little as possible to not disturb his boyfriend.  _

_ “You are the only person that likes my glasses.” Theo snorted softly, burrowing into him again while wrapping an arm around his waist.  _

_ “I just like you no matter what eyewear you have.” Liam chuckled, bringing his fingers up to scratch at the base of Theo’s scalp. “You need to rest. With all of the smoke outside…” _

_ “Lighten up, little wolf. I’m not just going to drop dead on you.” Theo hummed. Liam’s breath hitched, heart skipping a beat at the thought. The human sighed and tilted his head up, smooth lips pressing into Liam’s jaw. “I’m sorry. I forgot.” He said softly. They’d talked about Theo making light of his own mortality. Liam knew it was a coping mechanism but that didn’t mean it was easy for him to hear from the other boy.  _

_ “It’s okay. I just...I don’t like to think about it.” Liam admitted, resting his chin against Theo’s forehead.  _

_ “You worry too much. I’m okay. A little congenital heart disease isn’t going to take me out. Not for a long, long time. Now stop freaking out and cuddle me, dammit.” Theo nuzzled into him and Liam huffed out a laugh, closing his eyes and settling comfortably against his human. _

Liam steadied his hands against the sink, looking up at his reflection in the mirror. “What am I missing?” He whispered to himself, tears burning in his eyes. He scrubbed the back of his hand furiously across his face and turned on the cold water tap. Cupping his hands, he leaned his face down and splashed water on himself a few times in hopes of clearing his head. As he reached for the hand towel to dry himself, something on his left wrist grabbed his attention. It was light enough to be just a smudge of dirt, barely detectable among his skin. He scrubbed it lightly with his thumb, frowning as it didn’t seem to budge. Turning the water on again, he poured soap on his wrist and massaged it gently into his skin before rinsing it off. The mark didn’t seem to disappear, though now under the light it looked closer to an almost faded bruise. 

“Weird,” he muttered to himself with a frown. Maybe it had come from his encounter with the ghost rider and hadn’t healed yet. He shook his head and grabbed his trash bag again, cutting out the light in the bathroom and walking out. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam is starting to remember someone. He doesn't know what Theo means to him but he knows this - he will do anything to get him back.

“You need my help with what?” Lydia lifted an eyebrow as she closed her locker, glancing sideways at Liam. He flexed his fingers around the strap slung over his shoulder, biting the inside of his cheek. 

“Physics homework? Hayden is busy hanging out with Gwen, Corey’s at work and barely understands what’s going on, and Mason is busy tutoring a senior English class.” He stifled the urge to roll his eyes. He loved his best friend, he was incredibly proud of him for being so smart, but did he have to help out everyone? He couldn’t deny he was jealous and missed spending time with his best friend, just the two of them. Now more often than not their plans included Corey or a pack meeting. Lydia was his next option.

“Lucky for you, I have the afternoon free.” She said, turning on her heel and starting to walk. “Are you coming?” She called over her shoulder. He tripped over himself in haste to follow her, shoulder banging painfully against the lockers as he scrambled to catch up. “What are you guys studying right now?” She asked as she opened the door to the library.

“Ferromagnetic properties.” Liam explained, trailing after her up the stairs. She chose a table isolated from everyone else, pulling out a spiral notebook and turning it to a clean page before dropping it in front of him. 

“Write down everything you know and we’ll go from there.” 

“It’s going to be a short list,” Liam warned as he started to dig through his backpack for a pencil.

“Then we’ll build it. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re only going to get more confused. So let’s see where we can start.” For the next few minutes, only the quiet scribble of pen scratching against paper filled the space between them. Lydia had taken the liberty of extracting Liam’s textbook from his bag, familiarizing herself with the concepts he was currently studying as he continued to write from memory. He set down the pencil and slid the paper over to her, foot jiggling under the table as she scrutinized his work. “Not bad,” she told him after scanning over it. “I can work with this.”

“You’re a life saver,” he smiled weakly and she grinned easily in response at the praise. 

“I just know what I’m doing. Look at these last two bullet points you wrote.” She tapped her fingers against the paper. “Now, this is what it boils down to…” 

Half an hour later, Liam was able to complete his homework with relative ease and he smiled in relief at the older girl. “Lydia, thank you. I really owe you for this. I can’t afford to fail another class this year.” He started to shove his papers into his textbook but, under her critical eye, changed tactic and nearly straightened them in a pile before finding a folder to put them in. He glanced around for a moment and made sure they were alone. “Anything new on your end with the ghost riders?”

“Didn’t Scott tell you to focus on protecting the people at your little party?” She lifted an eyebrow in response and he squared his jaw. “I haven’t been able to find anything new. But…” she hesitated, something he hadn’t really seen in her before, “I keep seeing people. And I’m not sure they’re dead. It feels different. There are train noises and they keep saying the last stop has been cancelled. I don’t know what any of it means.”

“Do you think Beacon Hills is the last stop?” Liam asked softly. 

“I don’t know. But...Scott told me about a conversation he had with the sheriff the other day. Apparently he and Claudia discussed naming their child in college and they wanted to call him Stiles.” She pursed her lips, watching him thoughtfully. “Maybe Theo is someone else.” The thought shouldn’t have taken him by surprise but it still felt like a punch to the gut. Not only had they lost one person but two? How long had they been missing? How many others had been taken? 

“Do you think we’ll get them back?” Liam voiced, barely above a whisper. She reached over and took his hand, squeezing firmly. 

“We won’t stop until we do.”

-

The next day was more of the same. Liam went through his classes in a haze, struggling to stay awake and take notes. His teachers were less than thrilled that he’d apparently decided to slack off and it had resulted in two pop quizzes and a healthy dose of detention. It wasn’t his fault that he was so exhausted. He’d spent half of the night writing down the brief conversations he could remember with this Theo person and the other half tossing and turning in his sheets as he tried to understand them. He’d barely resisted the urge to text Mason. His friend deserved sleep even though it continued to elude Liam.

After serving detention during lunch, a quiet affair with a stern-faced Ms. Martin,  Liam headed to the cafeteria to join his friends. At the very least they could walk to class together and discuss a plan of attack for when the ghost riders came back to town. It had been over a week since they’d targeted the party and there had been no sign since. If there had been then no one remembered it. He plastered on a weary smile at the sight of his best friends turning the corner and opened his mouth to greet them when a cold feeling settled in his stomach. Mason was holding Corey’s hand, head thrown back as he laughed at something that had the chimera grinning in pleasure. He lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to Corey’s knuckles, a blinding smile consuming him as he wrapped an arm around his boyfriend and pulled him in for a slow kiss. Hayden crinkled her nose beside them, still smiling as she teased the couple, but the words fell on deaf ears for Liam.

He turned on his heel and started to run, shouldering his way through the crowd of students still milling about in the hall. A few cries of protest followed him but he ignored them as he sought asylum. The warning bell to get to class rang and as the hallways began to clear, Liam found himself stumbling to a halt in front of the men’s restroom. He burst through the door and leaned back on it immediately, reaching up with trembling fingers to fumble with the lock. Without a sound he slid down onto the floor, arms wrapped around his knees as he struggled for air. Each breath felt sharp and shallow, a stab against his lungs that left him feeling dizzy. His vision began to blur and it was like trying to clear the lens of a kaleidoscope, Tears rolled down his cheeks, dripping steadily from his chin onto his knees as he muffled sobs against his arms. 

None of this was fair. He yearned for what Mason had with Corey, someone who matched him like a missing puzzle piece and slotted perfectly into his life. How could fate be so cruel to deny it to him? He wrenched his head back with tearful eyes, staring down at his left wrist is disdain. There had to be a name missing. It was too much coincidence for the ghost riders to be in town, for Lydia to have the same blank skin, for two of their friends and who knew how many others to be missing as well. Liam must have a soulmate out there, trapped in the Wild Hunt, but he had no memory of them. Was Lydia suffering in the same way? Did she feel broken and wrong inside, filled with memories that might not be real and gaps that couldn’t be explained? The thought sent a shudder down his spine and the door rattled quietly behind him from the force of it.

He closed his eyes and pressed his face down against his arm, sniffling. He felt raw from the inside out, as though someone had cracked his ribcage open and scooped out his insides before dropping him back into reality. The longing and emptiness filled him to the brim, choking him beyond what he would qualify as normal. There had to be a way to fill the void in his life, he couldn’t accept an alternative. Somehow, he was going to find his soulmate and bring him back. No one was going to stand in his way.

“Liam?” The soft call of his name jerked him back to reality. He heard Mason try the doorknob and then his body sagged down the door. “Talk to me, man. I’m worried about you. You’ve been in there for half an hour.” Liam grimaced at the thought and slowly straightened his legs, wincing as his joints creaked and ached in protest. 

“I’m sorry.” Liam said softly, doubting the human could hear him. He grabbed the door handle and hauled himself to his feet, turning the lock. “I’m opening the door,” he warned before easing it just a crack. Mason scrambled to his feet and turned around, launching himself forward to hug Liam before the door was fully open. He pressed his face against his shoulder and burrowed in, hands pressing tightly to his back as they held each other. “Mason,” he whined softly. “My soulmate...they’re missing. I don’t even know who they are-”

“We’ll figure it out and rescue them.” Mason murmured, cradling the back of Liam’s head as he embraced him. “I’ve found something that might help.” He added quietly, smiling nervously as Liam snapped his head up to look at him. “I don’t know how much good it will do but…”

“Anything you’ve found is a better start than we’ve had.” Liam squeezed his shoulder and gave him a watery smile. “How’d you know where to find me?”

“When you had panic attacks and outbursts in middle school, you’d always lock yourself in a stall. It was only a matter of time before I found the right bathroom. I checked all of them, by the way.” Mason’s grin was infectious and the pit in Liam’s gut seemed a little more manageable. 

“You’re the best.” Liam told him. “Sorry for disappearing. I just...I guess I was overwhelmed. I saw you with Corey and I wanted it so badly.” 

“I know my boyfriend is hot but you absolutely cannot steal him away from me.” Mason smirked and Liam let out a surprised laugh, lightly punching his arm.

“Ass.” 

“Takes one to know one,” came the childish retort. He laughed again and retreated from Mason’s safe hold, walking over to the sink. He turned the water on cold and splashed his face, repeating the action until he looked up and some of the redness had drained from his skin. It was better than walking around looking like he’d completely lost it for a while.

“So what did you find?” Liam asked as he grabbed a paper towel to dry his skin.

“It’s easier if I show you.” Mason held open the door and together they walked out, headed for the library for the last half of study hall. Mason opened his laptop and explained the system he was following the track the lightning and keep an eye on it. 

“We need to fight them,” Liam said immediately as he turned to his best friend.

“No. We  _ need _ to hide them.” Mason countered with a frown. 

“Them?” Scott walked over, leaning on the back of one of the chairs.

“The ghost riders,” Liam replied.

“The kids from the party,” Mason corrected with a sigh. “Scott...we can protect the kids from the party. We can hide them underground and track the ghost riders. Lightning can’t travel underground and they’d be safe.” 

“Or we could trap a ghost rider by using a lightning rod to attract it.” Liam frowned at his best friend. “We need answers, Mase. We need to figure out how to bring our friends back.”

“You’re talking about risking the lives of everyone that was at that party.” Mason shook his head. “We don’t have a plan and it’s too risky. There’s no guarantee you could even trap one.” 

“Nowhere is safe, Mason!” Liam’s hand slammed down against the table, his eyes burning gold. Scott’s flashed red in warning and he forced himself to take a deep breath, clenching one fist against his thigh. “Don’t you want our friends back?” 

“Of course I do and it kind of pisses me off that you think I don’t want that.” Mason sighed and shook his head. “But there are a lot of lives hanging in the balance and I’d rather save eighteen lives than lose them.”

“Here’s what we’re going to do.” Scott slid into a chair, setting both hands on the table. “We get everyone from the party into the Argent bunker. It’s underground and it’s lined in mountain ash.”

“We stopped the ghost riders last night!” Liam protested, tossing his hand in annoyance. “Scott, you aren’t even willing to try.”

“We don’t know what stopped the ghost riders last night,” Scott reminded gently. “I understand your frustration. We’re both missing important people and there could be more. But we have to protect people, Liam. I need you to back me up on this.”

“I…” The beta sighed unhappily, looking between his two friends and finally letting his shoulders slump. “All right. Fine. But how do we get everyone inside the bunker? That’s not going to be a walk in the park.”

“We tell them the truth and hope for the best. That’s all we can do.” Scott said softly. “Anything to keep more people from being taken.”

“Your plan sucks,” Liam muttered as he put his face in his hands. “This is so not going to end well.” 

As predicted, Liam was right. Nathan had scoffed in his face, alongside the other lacrosse players, and said there was no way he was letting Liam lead the first lacrosse game of the season to become captain. Mason was the one who convinced him in the end, reminding him that someone was coming to shoot him in the head and erase his entire existence. Liam could tell there was still doubt on his face but he pushed that concern aside for another time. Right now, he needed to get some space and clear his head before he was forced into a closed location with his annoying teammates. 

-

Once upon a time, running had helped Liam clear his head. Before he’d been weighed down by the antipsychotic medicine after a particularly bad episode at his former prep school, before he’d become a werewolf, running had been one of the few things to bring him some form of peace. Sometimes it had helped burn off his anger and other times it had been escape from the guilt that threatened to consume him after some truly heinous moments. Now it just gave him time to mull things over and stew, time for his frustration at Scott and Mason to continue to boil even as he tried to convince himself that they would be doing the right thing. Part of him whispered that this was not the thing that would save Theo and it made him nauseous.

He stumbled to a halt as he reached the middle of an old bridge, leaning over with his hands on his knees as he gasped for breath. Even being a werewolf didn’t mean being able to run limitlessly. His lungs ached in a way that was familiar, a strange comfort that briefly distracted him from the overwhelming spiral his thoughts had taken. He straightened up and walked to the railing, bracing his elbows against it as he leaned down against the wooden railing and stared down at the placid water. He could certainly understand why Tara Raeken had been hanging out around here. It was far enough off the path that people wouldn’t intentionally come across it and the rocks were ideal for curious children who enjoyed climbing. Hell, Liam would have probably dragged Mason to explore when they were younger had he known the spot existed.

Except…. Liam frowned and pursed his lips, moving from one side of the bridge to the other. Huh. He’d sworn that Tara was ten when this had happened but the water was deep under the bridge and the rocks were hard to climb. If she’d fallen in and broken her leg then how had she managed to drag herself back out and onto shore? Who could have possibly seen her in the water or heard her cry for help? Something about her story didn’t add up. If it had been such a cold night, she would have surely resorted to a state of shock after falling into the water and breaking her leg. There was no plausible way for her to have rescued herself. But maybe she hadn’t been alone. Maybe...maybe Theo had been with her and saved her life. 

-

Liam groaned as he walked into his house, rubbing the back of his neck. “Mom! I’ll be late tonight, I’ve got the lacrosse game!” He called out as he made his way into the kitchen to grab a snack. There was still half an hour before he needed to leave to meet up with Scott and the others. He was relieved that his dad was going to be working and his mom was having a night out with her gardening club friends. He hated lying to her but she needed to be kept in the dark when it came to things like this. It was for her safety.

“Sweetie, are you okay?” Jenna walked in from the dining room and lifted an eyebrow at him. “You look exhausted. Are you sure you’re okay?” Liam nodded and leaned against the counter, closing his eyes as something stirred in his memories. “Liam? What happened?”

_ “Sweetie, are you okay?” Connie’s voice drifted from the living room and Liam winced. He’d anticipated that she would be asleep and he’d be able to sneak Theo into the house and up to his bedroom. Soft footsteps echoed on the hardwood floor and then a small gasp as she turned the corner. “Liam! What happened? Is my son okay? Why is he so pale?” She rushed forward and Liam automatically shifted in front of Theo, shielding him. The scent of blood was overwhelming to him and he was grateful that he’d managed to wrap Theo in his hoodie after bandaging the gash on his side. _

_ “I’m fine, mom.” Theo muttered drowsily as he lifted his head weakly from Liam’s shoulder. He was pale, a thin sheen of sweat coating his skin with his hair matted against his forehead. The beta could understand why she’d be so upset. “I went running and overdid it again. It’s nothing.” _

_ “Theodore Karl Raeken, this is not nothing. I told you to take it easy. I knew you were hanging out with-” _

_ “Mom!” Theo snapped heatedly, his breath wheezing out. “Not now, okay? I just want to go to bed after I take a shower and sleep for the next three days.”  _

_ “Liam, you should go home. I can take it from here.” Connie took a step forward and Theo shook his head, wrapping his fingers in Liam’s shirt and holding tight. _

_ “Liam’s taking me up to my room. I’m okay, mom. Really. Just...just leave it alone.” Theo sighed softly. “I just want to take my meds and then tomorrow you can lecture me all you want. But not right now.” _

_ “In the next half hour, you’d better be in bed and be alone.” Her lips thinned out and Liam nodded in agreement before Theo could protest. _

_ “Yes, Mrs. Raeken. I just wanted to get him home safely.” He said earnestly before guiding Theo upstairs. After shutting and locking the door, he sat with Theo on his bed and carefully helped him remove his hoodie. Theo’s bandages had a spot of blood but it seemed that Deaton’s stitches were holding well enough. “Theo…” _

_ “Don’t start. It’s just a scratch, Liam. You know that.” Theo waved it off and grimaced. “Still hurts but it’s better than being ripped in half by the beast. I got lucky.” _

_ “Your mom...was she going to say hanging out with me was a bad idea?” Liam asked softly, biting his lip. Theo’s eyes widened and he took Liam’s face between his hands, leaning their foreheads together. _

_ “No. She’s just worried about me hanging out with athletes, that’s all. It’s seriously not a big deal.” He knew he was telling the truth but that didn’t make it easy to hear. “She’s worried I’ll want to start playing sports now that I’m always with you and Corey. It doesn’t mean you personally. You aren’t a bad influence or whatever is going through your head. A werewolf, sure, but also one of my best friends.” _

“Honey?” Jenna’s hand on his shoulder snapped Liam back to the present and he grit his teeth, nodding.

“Sorry. I’m fine, just tired. I promise I’ll come straight home after the game.” Liam rubbed at his forehead and gave her an apologetic smile. “I just need to take a nap and I’ll be good to go.” He assured, turning to head for the stairs before she could stop him. He darted up to his room, fingers itching to write down what he’d remembered before he lost it.

-

“Who are you guys?” Nathan asked after they’d climbed down a ladder into the tunnels, walking to the Argent bunker. 

“We’re the one who knows things about the things that most people don’t know about.” Liam turned to answer, barely masking the annoyance in his tone. It had taken longer than anticipated to round everyone up and lead them to the bunker and he was starting to feel irritable again. At Nathan’s confused look, Hayden rolled her eyes and nudged him forward in the direction they’d just started toward. 

“Liam…” Hayden paused as she did a head count, slowly stilling in her tracks. “Where’s Gwen?”

“What?” Liam rushed back to the ladder while the others continued ahead, staring up at it. The girl was nowhere to be found and from what he could hear, she wasn’t even in the vicinity. “She didn’t follow.” He swore through his teeth and rushed to the bunker, grabbing Scott by the arm. “Gwen’s gone.”

“And three others,” Hayden added from behind him. 

“Lacrosse players,” Liam growled softly as his gaze swept over the list in Scott’s hands. “Too stupid to care for their own lives but risking everyone else? Why not?”

“I’ll go after them.” Scott said, folding the list and handing it off to Hayden. “You two should stay here-”

“No!” Liam’s nostrils flared. “Scott, Corey and I could barely fight one of them and we still list. Who knows how many will be out there tonight? We don’t even know if Mason’s plan will work!”

“The lightning will be grounded and they won’t be able to get in down here.” A firm hand squeezed his shoulder. “Trust the plan, Liam. I’ll go and track down the missing people and bring them back.”

“I’m going with you.” He hissed, his eyes flaring for a moment as sharpened claws pressed into his palms. “For all we know, they’ll decide to take everyone at the game tonight.”

“They won’t. At the party, they could have taken anyone but they only went after Gwen.” Hayden piped in. “They seem to be mostly interested in her. So maybe the rest of us are safe until they’ve taken her. Not that they will,” she added at Scott’s disapproving look.

“We’ll find Gwen and the others and bring them back.” Scott insisted.

“Whatever you’re going to do, you’d better do it fast.” Mason held up his phone and showed the numbers on a chart steadily climbing. “The lightning is coming and we won’t be able to stop it.”

“Fine, then Liam and I will go.” Scott sighed and looked at Argent.

“All of us are going.” Mason said, shaking his head. “You need me to help you know when they’re coming. And Corey can see them and turn invisible.”

“Fine.” Scott repeated as Argent nodded in agreement. “But the second you see a ghost rider, you run the other way. You’re all marked and I’m not losing anyone else.”

“You won’t have to.” Liam said, walking out the door. The others were quick to follow, all agreeing they would do whatever it took to stop the lacrosse players from joining the game. Scott told them Hayden would check the girls’ locker room for Gwen, he and Liam would check the boys’ locker room, and Corey and Mason would check the field in case they were already on it. While they were at it, he asked Mason to keep looking into figuring out a weakness on the ghost riders.

Everything was easier said than done, as always seemed to be the case. The lacrosse players were already on the field and Liam and Scott had no choice but to play in order to keep them safe. They’d grabbed Corey from the stands and divided up to three lacrosse players that had been at the party amongst the three of them. The first quarter had been brutal, Coach Finstock screaming about killing the three supernaturals while they’d focused primarily on shadowing the other players. Too many goals had slipped through but that was the least of their concerns. They needed to protect them at any costs, even a loss for the first game of the season. 

The opposing team scored again and Liam grimaced, tugging at his helmet as Mason’s cry of ‘yes’ echoed across the field. He snapped his head up to stare at his friend in confusion, knowing that Scott and Corey were doing the same. Mason waved for them to keep playing and tapped at his phone, not seeming to realize his cheer for the opposing team had drawn so much attention.

_ “Yes!” Theo’s delighted laugh carried across the field over the sound of the final buzzer, drawing Liam’s attention like a moth to flame. He ripped off his helmet and ducked around the huddle of his team, grabbing his water bottle from the bench and grinning up into the stands. Theo’s head was tipped back as he laughed, the curve of his throat exposed and a light flush staining his cheeks rosy from the cold. He’d never looked more beautiful. _

_ “Told you that you’d enjoy your first lacrosse game.” Mason grinned and gently elbowed the other human. “Liam was right, you know. This definitely beats studying.” _

_ “Yeah.” Theo smiled warmly and looked down, his eyes lighting up as he saw the beta. “You were awesome out there, Liam.” He tried not to preen from the compliment, a satisfied smile stretching across his lips. “Especially your ass in those pants.” Theo sent him a wink and this time Liam blushed, tongue darting out to wet his lips as he struggled to find a worthy response. _

A tackle sent him flying to the ground and he scowled, looking up to see Gwen dashing away from him. “I told you to watch it!” She called over her shoulder as she reached the opposing goal and botched a shot for the net. Just behind her, two lacrosse players began to go at one another.

“Scott!” Liam ripped off his helmet and jogged over, grinding his teeth. “Something’s wrong.” He gestured across the field where half of the players were fighting, tossing insults and punches. 

“It must be the hunt. It’s affecting everyone,” Scott murmured as he scanned the field again.

“Parrish can stop all of this. He could keep everyone safe,” Liam heard Mason telling Hayden at the edge of the field. The sky opened up mere seconds later, rain beginning to fall as lightning flashed across the sky.

“We’re too late.” Liam whispered. He stepped away from Scott and moved to join Gwen at the far end of the field, staring into the distance toward the forest. 

"They’re here!” Corey shouted above a clap of thunder. 

“Liam!” Scott called after him.

“I see them!” Liam replied over his shoulder, refusing to drag his gaze from the place where three ghost riders on horseback were racing toward the field. He shifted half a step closer to Gwen, adrenaline flowing through his veins. The rain began to fall harder, the stadium lights flashing before fizzling out with an angry crack. Taking Gwen’s arm, Liam dragged her back to where Scott and the other lacrosse players had huddled up. 

“We’ve got all three of them.” Scott said, turning in a half circle to double check. Around them, the crowd dissipated as everyone scrambled for cover and retreated to their cars or the main building. Liam silently hoped it would be enough to keep them out of harm’s way. 

“Scott, there were four of them.” He whispered. Corey’s hand touched his and the world turned green for a moment as the chameleon turned him a few inches to the left. One of the ghost riders was racing away from the field, a screaming body being dragged behind him. Liam’s stomach twisted at the sight and for a fleeting moment, he wondered if that was what had happened to Theo. Had he been dragged off in the middle of the night? Or ended up like Jake Sullivan, hanging by his neck as he was ripped apart and straight out of existence?

“Scott, we can’t fight them. There are too many.” Corey said as they tightened in a circle around the frightened lacrosse players. 

“They’re going for the people in the stands!” Liam yelled over the cacophony of the storm, turning to watch as several people stood and started pointing toward an approaching ghost rider.

“Run!” Scott ordered, turning and taking a step forward. Corey’s hand shot out, fingers digging painfully into his wrist as he revealed more ghost riders to Scott. 

“There’s too many of them!” Corey shouted, pressing back as Scott told them to protect the lacrosse players. “What are we going to do?” He jolted back as the ghost rider closest to him fired his gun, dissolving the person that Scott had been holding onto. The alpha stared in horror at his now empty fingers, shaken to the core.

“We fight.” Liam snarled, his eyes flashing yellow and his fangs dropping. He lunged without thought at the nearest rider, tackling him from his throat. His claws extended as he tore into the flesh beneath his fingers, hissing and growling as he struggled to kill the rider pinned beneath him. The other struggled for a moment before grabbing the back of his jersey, hauling him off and tossing him aside as though he were nothing. A second shot sounded and he watched from the ground as another one of the boys disappeared, leaving only one boy left and Gwen behind. 

Liam scrambled to his feet with a wince of pain and darted back into the circle just as the last boy disappeared, a sickening feeling settling in his stomach. “We can’t stop them!” He roared at Scott, heart racing in his chest. 

“Protect Gwen!” Scott shouted as they closed back in around her.

“Take me!” Gwen shoved past Corey, slipping between their tight ranks and putting herself directly in their path.

“No!” The alpha yelled as green smoke wrapped around Gwen, stripping her away from their sight. For one painstaking moment, Liam was terrified they would be next. But the ghost riders slowly backed away and disappeared, the brunt of the storm following after them. He collapsed onto his knees, hand clutched tightly against his broken ribs as he struggled for breath.

“Liam?” Corey knelt at his side, hesitantly reaching forward to lift his jersey. Dark purple bruising covered his side though it was slowly beginning to heal. “Scott, this looks bad.” He whispered.

“Why didn’t they take us?” Scott frowned, pursing his lips as he joined them on the ground. He reached over to touch Liam’s arm and the beta swatted him away, fangs gnashing together as he shoved Corey back and struggled to get to his feet. 

“We were supposed to protect them.” Liam snarled, glowering down at Scott with burning yellow eyes. “You said we would keep them safe. I told you that we should fight them instead but you wanted to protect them and look! Now even more people have been taken.” He gestured at the half empty stands where many people still cowered in fear and confusion. “This was the worst idea, Scott.”

“You need to calm down.” His alpha said gently, taking a step toward him. “I know you’re angry but lashing out never solves anything.”

“I am calm!” Liam snapped as he dug his claws into the palms of his hands. 

“Liam...you’re starting to scare people.” Corey said softly. 

_ “I’m not scared of you like this.” Theo crossed his arms, leaning against the frame of his bedroom door. “If you think I’m leaving you alone like this then you’ve got another thing coming.” _

_ “I could hurt you, Theo.” Liam kept himself poised by his window, ready to escape at a moment’s notice. “I tried to kill Scott, remember? And he’s one of my friends. He’s my alpha.” _

_ “You were pissed off because your friend Hayden died and you blamed him. Now stop being ridiculous and sit your ass on the bed.” Theo rolled his eyes. He waited until Liam had taken a seat gingerly on the end before he crossed and sat down, throwing his legs up on his lap to keep him from leaving. “I’m not scared. You won’t hurt me.” He said confidently, leaning forward and catching one of Liam’s clawed hands in his own. He tangled their fingers together and slowly stroked the back of his knuckles, watching as his claws retracted back into his skin. Liam slowly shifted back to normal, his blue eyes wide as he looked at Theo. _

_ “I’ve never calmed down that quickly before.” Liam whispered, staring at him with something akin to wonder.  _

_ “I know. Must be my boyish charm and rugged good looks.” Theo winked playfully and tugged Liam to lay down, curling instantly into his side.  _

_ “Or maybe you just know how to anchor me.”  _

He jerked himself back to the present, fangs and claws slowly beginning to disappear as the realization sank into him. Theo was his anchor. He’d lost one of his best friends and apparently the only person that could help him keep control. The realization was nauseating. How could he have forgotten someone so important to him? How could he have been ripped away without a trace left behind? He sucked in a shallow breath, his lungs burning as tears blurred his vision. 

“Liam!” Hayden’s voice rang out across the field and he snapped his head around, relief swelling in his chest as he saw Mason at her side. Collapsing back onto his knees, he stopped trying to fight the grief consuming him. Hayden knelt in front of him and hugged him without a word, slipping her arm around his shoulder blades and pressing close. “Thank god you’re okay.”

“I don’t feel okay.” He whispered, slumping his head against hers. “They took my anchor.” He said quietly, angling his head so he could see Mason wrap Corey in his arms. “I didn’t even know it but they took him.”

“We’ll get him back.” Hayden murmured as she dragged her hand down his spine. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” She eased him back onto his feet and they started toward the building. Scott kept pace farther ahead of them, his phone in hand as he made a call. Liam was too worn to listen in. 

As they entered the school, Scott continued to walk past the locker rooms and hung up as he reached the double doors at the end of the hall. He turned around and shook his head slowly, the look on his face telling all. “Everyone at the bunker was taken.”

“How is that even possible?” Mason asked.

“Malia is with Argent at the hospital, he got injured. She said Nathan broke the seal and then the ghost riders got in. I need to go there now.” Scott explained.

“Scott.” Liam took a pained step forward, breath catching as pain radiated through his side. “Tonight…” his lip quivered and Scott shook his head.

“Tonight was not your fault, Liam.” His alpha said gently. “It was mine. We should have done both. We should have protected them in the bunker and used a lightning rod to draw the ghost riders away to fight them. I won’t make this mistake again.” He turned on his heel with a weary sigh and walked out the double doors, the silence in his absence suffocating.

“You okay?” Hayden asked after a long moment as Liam struggled to hold back tears. Mutely shaking his head, he turned to look at her and his friends. 

“No,” the word was a broken whisper as he brushed past them to head into the locker room for a moment of solitude. The short lived dream was shattered as he opened the door to find Coach Finstock and the rest of the team waiting, eager to congratulate him for staying on the field while everyone else has run. “Coach,” Liam murmured sadly, “we lost. We lost everything.”

“Listen to the despair!” Finstock clapped him on the shoulder and his teeth clacked together, the pain jarring him. “The rage simmering underneath!” He pressed down and Liam was grateful he was already leaning on his lacrosse stick for support or he might have collapsed. “The overwhelming guilt! And that, my friends, is beautiful. He still thinks he can win. Next time he will win because he’ll find a way. Now, show your new captain some love, you pukes!” Scattered applause filled the room and Liam’s stomach churned. “I said show him love!” The applause gained volume and slowly they began to chant his name. He sucked in a harsh breath between clenched teeth, squaring his jaw as he tilted his chin up. He would do right by them next time. No one else was going to disappear on him, not while air still filled his lungs. He’d already let Theo down and he was damn sure not going to do it again.

Thankfully Coach Finstock released them shortly after, leaving everyone to congratulate Liam as they left the locker room. Liam took the time to shower and clean himself up, his ribs mostly healed by the time he stepped out from under the cold spray. He dressed himself in the change of clothes he had in his locker and grabbed his lacrosse stick, straddling one of the benches as he concentrated on fixing the net. He tugged on the strings and unlaced it, breathing deeply through his nose as he slowly began to lace it over again as he’d done countless times in the past.

“Liam?” Hayden’s voice jarred him for a moment and he worked his jaw around, refusing to look as he kept working. “What are you still doing here?”

“We should be going. Everybody else is gone.” Mason said softly.

“Literally everyone,” Corey muttered. When Liam didn’t answer, his friends shared concerned looks.

“Do you want a ride?” Mason asked hesitantly, taking a small step closer. The muscle in Liam’s jaw ticked as he slowly shook his head.

“I want to catch one,” he uttered softly as he continued to stare down at his net. He finished off the final lace and made sure it was secure before getting to his feet, tucking it away inside of his locker. He didn’t say a word before walking out, the others hot on his heels.

“What do you mean you wanna catch one?” Corey asked.

“A ghost rider?” Hayden frowned and fell into step just behind him. 

“Yeah. Go home.” Liam said, not bothering to spare them a glance as he walked outside. Too many lives had been risked and stolen over the past few weeks, maybe even months. He wasn’t going to lose his closest friends because of this. He heard them all stop for a moment and for a moment, he thought that they had listened. But they caught up to him halfway across the parking lot and he whirled around, anger flashing in his eyes. He shook his head and started to walk again, whirling back around when they immediately followed. 

“We’re not going anywhere.” Mason spoke up, boldly meeting his fiery gaze. “We’re not leaving you.”

“You’re an idiot to think otherwise,” Hayden told him.

“Someone just made team captain, right?” Corey gave him a pointed look. Liam exhaled forcefully and worked his jaw again, nodding tightly.

“I guess I did.”

“Then what’s the plan?” Mason gave him a hopeful look and Liam knew there was no turning back. Even if he lashed out and begged them to go the other way, they wouldn’t listen. They were just as stubborn as he was. 

“I guess we catch a ghost rider.” Liam said. He fought the urge to roll his eyes as Hayden beamed, turning to start walking again. They fell into step, this time at his sides, and followed him as he continued across the parking lot. They were almost to Mason’s car when pain flared through Liam’s left wrist, a burning sensation gone as quickly as it had come. He hissed and pressed his hand over it, rubbing the tender skin and glancing down at it. The bruise that had formed almost a week prior was slowly getting darker, appearing shadowed from the angle he was looking from. He glanced around the parking lot, gaze drifting over a navy blue truck they had passed, and started to walk again before the others could ask what was wrong. It had to be nothing. There were more important things to focus on. 

-

Awareness crept over him slowly, dragging his dulled senses into sharp focus as he discovered the ability to move. Fingers slowly curled over his knees, digging lightly into the denim of his jeans as his motor functions started to return. He exhaled gently and lifted a trembling hand, pressing it over his rapidly beating heart as he tried to will it to settle. Having a heart attack would get him nowhere in this situation and he needed to see what was going on.

Reaching into the breast pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a small container of pills and shook one out in the palm of his hand. He popped it without a thought, swallowing before it could turn to chalk in his mouth, and capped the container before sliding it back into his jacket. He tipped his head back and focused on breathing for a moment, fighting the urge to rub uselessly at his chest. It would take half an hour before the medicine kicked in and he started to feel at ease in his own skin again. 

He turned his head to the person beside him, an elderly woman who was staring straight ahead. “Excuse me? Ma’am?” He reached over and lightly touched her arm. Her head twisted around slowly, eyes boring into him with an intensity that left his skin vibrating and set his teeth on edge. Wordlessly she faced forward again and silence echoed in the space surrounding them. He took in a shuddering breath and looked around the room, horror filling him as he saw rows and rows of people sitting in a similar fashion. Exhaling slowly, his gaze drifted down to his wrist and he clutched at it for dear life, thumb brushing in soothing strokes over the name etched there.  _ Liam. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo and Stiles try to assess their situation.

Theo rubbed the heel of his palm against his chest, his leg jiggling restlessly as he looked around the room. Everyone seemed to be waiting patiently, one girl reading a magazine, another staring boredly at the wall with one earbud put in, and an older guy that looked like he was just taking a nap. An announcement sounded overhead, detailing a list of stops that had been cancelled. All around him, everyone turned their heads and got to their feet to shuffle toward one of the tunnels. Theo hesitantly followed, wrapping his arms around his torso while lingering behind everyone. Further ahead, someone was asking questions and pushing their way through the crowd. He shifted to the edge of the group, an all too familiar sound emanating from the tunnels that sent chills down his spine.

As the ghost riders and their steeds approached, panic exploded in the room around him. He stumbled back as one young girl turned, tripping over him in her haste to escape their path. She scrambled back onto her feet and shoved him to the ground, a terrified scream emitting from her throat. Groaning, he rolled onto his side and narrowly avoided the body that the ghost riders tossed aimlessly from the back of their horse. He watched in muted horror as more bodies were dumped until the ghost riders turned and left as quickly as they had come. Green smoke curled around the wrists and ankles of everyone that had been dropped off, stripping away the ropes that had been used to keep them hostage.

Everyone began to calm back down immediately and return to their vacated seats in an orderly fashion, as though nothing had even happened. Grimacing, he pulled himself onto his feet and pressed his hand gingerly against his hip. The immediate wince at the contact meant certain bruising but at least it wasn’t broken. He shuffled forward a few steps and sat back down, watching a familiar figure storm across the room after someone else. “Stiles…?” He got back up, taking a step forward and his friend exploded at the man sitting in front of him and asked if anyone had seen what had just happened. “Stiles!” The other boy whirled around, fire in his gaze and a fear that Theo hadn’t seen since Stiles’ dad was in the hospital.

“They took you too?” The words were barely a whisper and all Theo could do was nod. “What the hell is going on?”

“I’m just as confused as you are.” Theo said, stepping around the corner of a bench and walking closer. “Who is this guy?”

“Peter Hale, absolute psychopath.”

“Oh. I...thought he’d be younger. And more creepy looking.” Theo hummed softly.

“You’re as hilarious as your friend,” Peter commented dryly. “Now would you both go somewhere else? I can’t see the board and I’d like a little warning as to when my train arrives.”

“What train?” Theo frowned. “How did we even get here?”

“Pretty sure I took a cab.” Peter stifled the urge to roll his eyes. “As far as you two, perhaps you got a tandem bike.”

“Peter, the last time I saw you was when you were being locked away in Eichen. There’s no way you took a cab here.” Stiles crossed his arms. The look on Peter’s look shifted, something akin to recognition flooding his gaze before his lower lip quivered and fear flashed in his eyes.

“I was in Eichen,” the words were barely above a hushed whisper. “Thanks to you.”

“Memory’s good,” Stiles murmured. “Can you remember how you, uh, got out?” He asked carefully. “They discharge you?”

“Of course they didn’t. The power went out and I ran like hell.” Peter said fiercely, glaring up at the human.

“You ran?” Stiles lifted an eyebrow and Peter’s shoulder tensed.

“I ran from the insane asylum holding me hostage!” He snapped, fingers curling into fists against his legs. Theo gently put his hand on Stiles’ arm, drawing him back half a step while inching in front of him.

“Can you just talk us through it? Maybe we can piece it all together and figure something out.” He suggested softly. Peter nodded and Theo guided Stiles to take a seat, urging him to relax while the older werewolf explained what had happened when he’d left Eichen House. When he finished and was told he’d been missing for three months, Theo shot Stiles an anxious look and his fingers curled around the container of medicine in his pocket. “Stiles...if it’s been that long for Peter, then how long as it been for us?”

“One woman said she thought she’d been waiting for an hour and another guy said it was at least six. Time must pass differently here.” Stiles said, his gaze dropping to where Theo’s hand was hidden. “What’s wrong?”

“I woke up or became alert or whatever and I immediately needed my medicine. If time isn’t the same here then I don’t have a schedule. I’ll keep missing doses and…” he pulled out the small bottle and turned it so Stiles could see that it was nearly empty. “I’m down to a handful of pills. I got a refill just before we were taken because I was close to finishing this bottle.”

“Can you cut the pills in half and make them last longer?” Stiles frowned in concern, tilting the bottle to count them. It was too dark to be able to tell.

“Yeah but I’m supposed to take two a day. I can limit it to whenever the pain is too much but that’s risky. I don’t really want to die here, wherever we are.” Theo carefully tucked the bottle back into the safety of his pocket.

“Can we get back to more important things?” Peter cut in, mild annoyance in his voice. “I’ve been missing for three months and no one came for me?”

“No one remembered that you existed. The ghost riders...they erase you from everyone’s memories. When we got taken, everyone was already forgetting Stiles but he was right in front of us.” Theo swallowed thickly, his mind flashing to Liam. Had his boyfriend already forgotten his existence?

“The ghost riders? As in the ghost riders of the Wild Hunt?” Peter asked, pacing in front of them for a moment. Stiles nodded in affirmation and Peter sank down onto a bench, the little bit of hope in his eyes beginning to die out. “I know what you’re talking about. They ride the lightning. They are an unstoppable force of nature.”

“Scott and his pack will find a way. They always do.” Theo said, his voice portraying a confidence that he wasn’t quite sure he felt. Peter’s head cocked to the side as he observed the human, a soft frown marring his features.

“Hard to fight an enemy you can’t see coming unless you’re next to be taken. They’ve probably forgotten all about you by now. Why do you reek of anxiety and sickness?”

“Heart condition.” Theo said.

“Dude, were you even paying attention a minute ago?’ Stiles arched an eyebrow and Peter scoffed.

“Not when it doesn’t apply to me. Who is this kid, anyways?”

“Liam’s soulmate and one of my best friend’s from childhood.” Stiles answered,

“Scott’s angry little beta?” Peter hummed in admiration as he continued to scrutinize Theo. He kept himself perfectly still, feeling like prey being sized up by a curious predator. “Hard to believe he hasn’t broken this little human. He’s the one that liked to punch things, right?”

“Liam’s a lot more than just his anger issues.” Theo said, jaw tightening. “He’s certainly twice the man you’ll ever be.”

“Ooh, a feisty one. I like this kid.” Peter smirked and Stiles narrowed his gaze in warning. “It’s really a shame we’re never getting out of here. I think I’d like you outside of this place.”

“Have you even tried looking for a way out?” Stiles asked, changing the course of the conversation before it could take another weird turn. “Talk to anyone or anything to figure out how to escape?”

“If this is the Wild Hunt then there is no escape. We’re all doomed to ride the storm forever.” Peter sighed.

“There has to be a way out.” Stiles said, getting to his feet and throwing his arms out to encompass the room. “This place? This is just a room. And there are doors and windows out of rooms.”

“This isn’t just a room. It’s a train station, Stiles. Beacon Hills doesn’t have a train. We don’t even know what plane of existence we’re on. For all we know, we’re ghosts.” Peter countered, lips pressed in a firm line.

“But ghosts can haunt people and sometimes they can be heard through the veil. So all we have to do is find a way to communicate with the others.” Theo spoke up softly. “I’m not just going to sit here and waste away like everyone else. I’ve spent enough of my life doing that,” he muttered bitterly.

“There are doors. And where there are doors, there are exits.” Stiles was already halfway across the room, pointing ahead of him at an unlocked door.  

“That’s not quite what I had in mind...” Theo raised an eyebrow and followed his friend, crossing his arms over his chest. Peter was right on his heels, stopping a few feet away to sit on the corner of a mostly filled bench. He brushed off the seat and a small cloud of dust rose with his movement. Theo turned away, coughing harshly into the crook of his elbow. By the time his fit had subsided, Stiles and Peter were locked in a staring contest while the human gestured animatedly with his hands. Theo’s mouth twisted in pain as he leaned on the wall and slowly slid down it, hand settled over his chest as he struggled to catch his breath.   
  
“Theo?” Stiles’ feet entered his peripheral and he waved weakly at him, gesturing for him to keep going.   
  
“I’m fine.” Theo whispered, staring down and blinking away the block spots at the edge of his vision.   
  
“Do you need another dose of your medicine?” Stiles asked, kneeling down and setting his hand on Theo’s knee.

“What’s wrong with him?” Peter voiced as he watched curiously from a safe distance.

“Clouds of dust and a former asthmatic with shitty lungs and a defective heart don’t really go hand in hand,” Theo muttered as he tipped his head back against the wall and slowly straightened his legs in front of him. “I’ll be fine, Stiles.”

“You’d better be.” Stiles carefully squeezed his knee. “Liam might actually murder me if anything happens to you. He’s kind of an angry puppy if you didn’t get the memo.” It was enough to make Theo laugh and some of Stiles’ unease settled. If he was laughing then he was still breathing. They just needed to hang on a little while longer until Lydia and the others came for them. If he believed in anything or anyone, it was Lydia.

For the next few minutes, Stiles concentrated on finding an escape. Theo watched through half-lidded eyes, willing himself to stay conscious as Stiles walking through an endless loop of doors. There had to be a way out of here. Groaning softly, he rolled his head to the side and scanned the room as Stiles and Peter stopped to converse quietly. He almost missed movement to his left. The boy leaning against the pillar shifted slightly, his arms flexing over his chest as he paid Theo no mind and kept his focus on the other two. In the blink of an eye, the pair were headed for him and Theo struggled to get back on his feet.

“...nobody ever tries the doors.” The guy was saying as Theo arrived, looking mildly impressed.

“Trent?” Theo squinted at the curly-haired boy, frowning.

“You know him?” Stiles turned to him in disbelief.

“He goes to school with us. He’s a junior.” Theo rolled his eyes and offered the other boy a weak smile. “Glad to see you’re alive.”

“Doesn’t really feel like I am.” Trent’s lips quirked in a fleeting smile. “I’ve tried everything but there’s no way out.”

“Not everything. You’re still here,” Peter pointed out.

“You’re telling me you’ve been here for who knows how long and you haven’t found anything?” Stiles lifted an eyebrow. “You don’t have any kind of plan at all?”

“I can tell you about it.” Trent said after a beat of silence, eyeing Theo for a moment before looking at the others. “Doesn’t mean you can do it.” Stiles stammered nervously for a moment, nodding slightly at Peter and assuring that he could do it. “It’s right in front of your face.” Trent flicked his gaze toward the tunnel at the other end of the room.

“Any idea what’s down there?” Theo asked quietly, a shiver creeping down his spine as he turned away from the gaping darkness.

“You didn’t see it?” Trent scoffed.

“Of course we saw it.” Stiles snapped lightly. “What does it mean?”

“It’s all part of the illusion. You’re afraid. We all are. And they want you to be afraid.” Trent murmured. Theo didn’t have to ask to know who he meant. He shared an anxious look with Stiles, biting the inside of his cheek.

“I’m not afraid,” Peter hissed. He turned away and began walking, the other three falling in step behind him. They all slowed as they reached the mouth of the tunnel, the werewolf stopping in his tracks.

“You can’t do it, can you?” Trent’s voice echoed through the tunnel and Theo shuffled back half a step.

“We really should kill him,” Peter muttered over his shoulder to Stiles. “Push me.” He said firmly, straightening up his shoulders.

“What?” Stiles raised an eyebrow and Theo gave a helpless shrug.

“Push. Me.” Peter repeated slowly, drawing his shoulders up and lifting his chin. He took a deep breath and Stiles shoved him forward, exhaling the breath he didn’t know he was holding as Peter began to briskly walk through the tunnel. “Come on, humans!”

“Did he just call us humans?” Trent asked, glancing at Stiles before following after the older male.

“You guys go on ahead.” Theo said, pressing the heel of his palm against his chest as his pulse spiked in fear. Stiles fell back and turned to face him, reaching his hand out slowly.

“Not without you. It’ll be okay.” He said softly, gently taking Theo’s hand. “I won’t let go.”

“Like when we were in kindergarten and got lost in the woods camping in your backyard?” Theo laughed weakly and squeezed his hand tightly.

“Those branches totally looked like a dead body.” Stiles defender as he led Theo into the tunnel.

“You’re crazy.” Theo chuckled softly. They walked for what felt like ages, the only sound the soft crunch of gravel beneath their feet. After ten minutes and multiple stops, they finally reached a dimly lit section of the train station that was completely barren.

“Congratulations,” Peter said sarcastically. “You’ve found another part of the phantom train station.” He told Trent, rolling his eyes.

“You might want to stay off the tracks,” Trent warned as thunder began to rumble from the far end of the tunnel. “That’s the only way in and out.” In the distance, horses neighed and the hair on the back of Theo’s neck stood up. “They’re coming,” Trent murmured as he glanced at each of them briefly. He lunged to his left and hauled himself up onto the platform, Peter and Stiles only half a step behind as they realized what he was doing. Theo attempted to follow, pain flaring through his chest as he reached up to the platform. Stiles grabbed him before he could fall back, hauling him up by the collar of his shirt. He dragged Theo over to the pillar that Trent was hiding behind, barely out of sight before a handful of ghost riders came racing down the tunnel.

“How the hell are we supposed to do that?” Peter asked, barely refraining from snarling at the human.

“We jump as they leave. I’ve been timing it. We can jump from right here and make it onto their horses just before they go out.” His gaze flicked hesitantly to Theo and he pursed his lips. “All of us except for you.”

-

Liam slammed the door shut of his car, bringing up a hand to rub at his temple to try and ease the pressure there. Whoever had said werewolves didn’t get sick was full of shit. He’d been battling this headache all day and it only seemed to be getting worse. He knew it was stress induced and the fact that he hadn’t been sleeping well certainly didn’t help. His grades were starting to slip again, his parents worrying as he struggled to come to terms with the little that he knew. Shaking his head, he turned away from his car and started toward the house when a familiar voice drew him to a halt.

“Liam?” Connie Raeken stood at the end of his driveway, her lips pressed in a grim line. “I’m sorry but do you think you have a moment to talk?”

“Of course, Mrs. Raeken. Do you want to come in? My mom isn’t home yet but she should be soon.” He said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder toward his house.

“That would be nice. Thank you, sweetie.” She smiled warmly and followed him inside, wringing her hands as she walked over to the couch to take a seat. He tossed his bookbag down at the foot of the stairs and joined her, rubbing his palms against his knees.

“Is everything okay?” Liam asked when she didn’t start to talk. “I can get something to drink if you’re thirsty.”

“I don’t even know why I’m here.” She laughed quietly and shook her head. “I’m okay, Liam, but thank you. I just..” she paused and took a deep breath to steady herself. “Things haven’t quite felt normal lately. I thought maybe I was just imagining it.” Her lips quivered as she looked up at him. “But when you came by a couple of weeks ago and mentioned the name Theo...something happened last night.” She confessed in a soft whisper. “I woke up in the middle of the night. I must have been thirsty and I walked downstairs to get a glass of water. And when I came back up...I wanted to stick my head in a room to make sure my son was still breathing. I thought that maybe he’d be doing better if you visited because he always seemed better after you saw him. But I don’t have a son.” She worried her lip between her teeth and Liam’s heart dropped. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this. You must think I’ve lost my mind.”

“Not at all, Mrs. Raeken.” He forced himself to take a breath and studied her face, taking note of the bags under her eyes and the faint tremor of her body. “You seem exhausted.”

“I couldn’t go back to sleep after that. I kept worrying that Theo wasn’t going to be alive and I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Dreaming of a child that doesn’t even exist,” she laughed weakly but he could hear the doubt in her heartbeat.

“I’m trying to find answers myself.” He whispered. “Mrs. Raeken-“

“I don’t know why I came to see you. I’m sorry to bother you, dear. I really am.” She reached over and patted him on the knee, slowly getting back onto her feet. “You tell your parents that I said hello, all right?”

“Yes ma’am.” Liam stood and walked her to the door, leaning against it as soon as it was shut. He slid down and pressed his forehead to the cool wood, closing his eyes as another memory washed over him.

_“Mason!” Liam yelled, watching the beast that had stolen the body of his best friend. “Come on, I know you’re in there!” He pleaded, taking a step forward and eyeing the other end of the tunnel. A familiar heartbeat started to come around the corner and panic froze him in his tracks. “Theo, no!”_

_“Liam-” Theo took half a step forward, his eyes widening as the beast slowly turned on him. He backtracked quickly but the beast was faster, claws extended as it raced past him. Liam could only watch in sickening horror as time seemed to slow down around him. Theo’s body went flying into a wall of pipes, the echoes deafening as the beast disappeared around the corner. He hit the ground with a thud and Liam swore that his heart had stopped._

_“No no no.” He whined, rushing forward and stumbling to a halt next to the fallen human. He dropped to his knees and checked his pulse with shaking fingers, relief swelling through him as he felt the heartbeat thrum beneath his fingers. “I told you not to follow me down here.” He whispered, watching as Theo’s eyes fluttered open and he rolled on his side with a groan._

_“Couldn’t stay behind, you know me.” He muttered. “Shit. Am I bleeding?”_

_“No…” Liam started before dropping his gaze. The scent of blood hung thickly around his fallen friend and shame curled in him. How had he missed something so important? He tugged gently at the bloodstained shirt, lifting it to find a set of claw marks just over Theo’s ribcage. “Oh god…”_

_“You’re supposed to keep calm.” Theo huffed out, breath ragged as he grabbed Liam’s arm. “Fuck, it hurts.”_

_“I’m taking you to Deaton. He can...he can stitch you up.” Liam said shakily. “Can you stand?” He asked, curling his fingers around Theo’s shoulder._

_“If you insist.” Theo groaned and pulled himself up, swaying lightly and pressing his face to Liam’s chest. “That might have been an awful idea.”_

_“I’m sorry.” Liam said softly, bringing his hand up to the side of Theo’s neck. He concentrated for a moment before black lines began to travel through his veins. “I’m still working on taking pain.” He said quietly, a low gasp escaping him as he’d finally taken enough and yanked his hand free. “Scott says I’m still learning.”_

_“Oh my god, that’s awesome.” Theo laughed and touched Liam’s wrist gently. “It’s like being high without the drugs. Holy shit.”_

_“I think you’re delusional from blood loss and pain,” Liam muttered as he slowly stood and eased Theo onto his feet. “Come on. Let’s get you to Deaton.”_

Liam slammed his fist against the door, the wood cracking slightly from the force of it as a dry sob escaped him. “I don’t understand,” he whispered to no one. Why was he remembering Theo so vividly? How was he supposed to bring back his anchor? He could already feel his fangs itching to grow, barely concealed as he clenched his jaw. If remembering Theo’s existence wasn’t enough then was it even possible to bring him back? What if he was destined to be left with a memory and nothing more? He blinked back tears and looked down at his wrist, dragging his nails across it until bright red lines covered his skin. What if he never remembered his soulmate?

A sharp knock on the door jarred him and he stood up, wiping at his eyes quickly before  opening up. “Tara-” he started in confusion, abruptly halting at the cold fury lurking behind darkened eyes.

“Stay out of things you don’t understand, Liam. Leave my mother alone.” She said firmly. “Stay away from my family, Liam. This is the only time I’m going to warn you. She’s happy and so is my dad and you won’t take that from them.” She warned before stepping back, crossing the threshold as quickly as she had come. Liam could only stare after her, completely dumbfounded by the two encounters he’d had in the last fifteen minutes.

“What the fuck…”

-

“We are not leaving Theo behind!” Stiles said firmly as he began to pace the length of the platform. Said human was currently sitting on the lone bench, leaning over with his arms braced against his knees as he struggled to breathe. “Your plan might not even work.” He told Trent, running his fingers back through his unruly hair. “For all we know, we’ll die if we try.”

“And we will waste away into nothing if we don’t!” Trent yelled. “I’m losing my mind staying here. I can’t keep sitting around and waiting.” He threw his hands up in the air. “You can stay behind but I’m getting the hell out of here.” Farther down the tunnel, the sound of horses echoed down to them. “Shit. They’re coming back!”

“Theo, come on.” Stiles grabbed his arm and dragged him behind another pillar alongside Peter. “Trent, you don’t have to do this! We can find another way!” He called to the other boy.

“There is no other way! I’ve spent months searching and there’s nothing. I have to try.” Trent squared his jaw and turned toward the tracks, watching the ghost riders as they approached.

“Stiles, stop him. He’s going to get himself killed.” Theo rapsed, his heart hammering in his chest as he struggled to draw in breath.

“Let him try.” Peter protested, holding his arm out to stop Stiles from advancing on the other boy at the edge of the platform. Trent rocked on his heels and jumped at the last second, clinging to the back of the ghost rider heading for the exit. The rider disappeared through the barrier and Trent bounced off of it, enveloped in green fire. He screamed in agony and thrashed about on the ground, clawing uselessly at the gravel as pained sobs escaped him.

“No!” Theo shoved Stiles weakly and stumbled forward, watching in horror as the skin seemed to melt away from the writhing boy and then his skeleton turned to dust. “Trent…”

“Someone I don’t think that happened the way he was hoping,” Peter murmured softly. Theo whirled on him with tearful eyes, his breaths unsteady as he advanced on the werewolf.

“You shut the fuck up,” he snarled as he weakly shoved at Peter. The werewolf didn’t budge and Theo stumbled, crumpling to his knees with a sickening crack. “Fuck you. He had a family. He had...he had…” the words refused to come and Theo grabbed his chest, wheezing as he tried to draw in another breath. He pitched forward, barely turning his head so his nose didn’t crack into the cement. Distantly he could hear Stiles calling his name but it faded into the background, overtaken by white noise and then...nothing.

-

“I don’t see why you’re dragging him along,” Peter commented dryly as Stiles struggled to carry Theo back down the dark tunnel. “He’s going to be dead weight, Stiles. Quite literally at this rate.”

“Theo is one of my best friends and he isn’t going anywhere.” Stiles bit out, shifting his hold on the other boy and continuing to walk. “We’re going to find a way out of here. Even if I have to do it on my own.” He told Peter, relief filling him as they reached the other platform at last. He climbed up carefully and moved to the closest bench, easing Theo down onto the empty space. “Why don’t you go be an asshole somewhere else?” Stiles asked as he sat, lifting his head to glare at Peter.

“I’ll be as far from you as I possibly can be. Unfortunately it’s nowhere near far enough.” Peter replied calmly, turning to walk to the other end of the room. Stiles muttered under his breath and looked down at Theo, his heart aching for a moment. What if he died here? Theo’s body wasn’t strong enough to endure this kind of stress and there didn’t seem to be an end in sight. Trent had said he’d been looking for an exit for months. Who knew how long they’d all been gone? But at this rate, Stiles knew they had to find a way out and soon. Theo was rapidly deteriorating if his earlier collapse was any sign and Stiles knew he wouldn’t be able to cut his medicine in half. He would need every bit of it to help him survive until they found some kind of exit.

An old woman beside him turned her head, smiling and explaining that she was waiting on the train to see her grandchildren. Stiles indulged her for a moment, smiling sadly at the woman. He rubbed tiredly at his eyes and leaned down onto his elbows, breath whooshing out in a harsh exhale. He wrapped his fingers around the back of his neck and pressed in, wishing for the umpteenth time that he could find a solution. He had always been the problem solver of the group. Why should now be any different?

A voice echoed through the station and yanked him from his thoughts, listing stops that had been cancelled. Frowning, he got slowly to his feet and stared up at the ceiling. Sure enough, there were speakers located around the room. Thin cables connected them and he found the main one, slowly moving forward and tracking it for a moment. If there were speakers, that meant there had to be a place to make the announcements. He heard shuffling behind him and turned his head, feeling a twinge of annoyance that Peter was there. He silently pointed up at the cable he’d been following and Peter nodded, “Intercom. Could mean there’s a radio.” The werewolf suggested.

“That’s what I’m going to find out.” Stiles said. He continued walking until he found the small room tucked away at the other end of the room. Surprisingly, the door was unlocked. Stiles hoped that was a good sign as he stepped into the cobweb filled room, the stale air making his eyes water. The room was filled with equipment that looked familiar, though Stiles knew it wasn’t going to be easy getting it up and running. “Maybe I can reach the radio in my car…” he muttered, heading to the main desk and crouching to look beneath it Peter scoffed in disbelief, rambling on about ham radios not being able to cross supernatural barriers and other things that Stiles didn’t care about. He chose to ignore the other man and ran his fingers over a dial, slowly turning it. The radio crackled immediately to life, a high-pitched feedback ringing out that had both men covering their ears.

“Turn it off!” Peter snapped, striding across the room and reaching for the dial. Stiles smacked his hand away and stood, glaring at the other man and refusing to budge.

“This could be our only shot!” Stiles countered, reaching for the dial and adjusting it until the feedback had died down a bit. Peter rolled his eyes and stepped back, turning his back as Stiles began to walk around the room and plug things in.

Across the station, Theo slowly opened his eyes and immediately shut them again with a hiss of pain. “Motherfucker,” he muttered as he reached into his jacket and pulled out the small bottle of his pills. His fingers were shaking too much to attempt to split it in half so he tossed the entire thing in his mouth, swallowing and trying not to gag. He hid the bottle again and sat up, clutching the back of the bench for support as he slowly looked around the room. “Stiles? Peter?” He frowned, not seeing any sign of the pair. He scanned the room again and got unsteadily to his feet, trying to fight the immediate panic that arose.

“Guys?” He stepped away from the bench, a cold chill crawling over his skin as he looked toward the dark tunnel. They wouldn’t have tried again without him, would they? Had they found another way out and left him behind? Or had the riders come back and killed them for being too curious? He swallowed and glanced around the room again, wishing someone else was aware like he was so he could ask about his friend. “Stiles, _please._ ” He said brokenly as he stumbled forward a few more steps around a pillar. From further away, the sound of hooves on gravel reached his ears and panic flooded his senses. He started to walk faster, tripping over himself as he resisted the urge to look over his shoulder. A few feet away there was an open door and relief flooded his senses as he caught sight of a familiar head of hair inside. “Oh thank god…”

He hurried into the room, panting as he held a hand to his side and tried to focus on something other than his burning lungs. “Guys...the riders…” He began, shuddering as he struggled to draw in breath. Stiles’ gaze snapped to him and he hastily spun in his chair, turning all of the dials quickly while Peter ran to the wall and began ripping cords out. The duo shared a look and hurried his way, Peter grabbing him by the arm and hauling him backwards just as the distant neighing grew in volume. He dragged the two humans behind a nearby pillar, turning to watch as a ghost rider dismounted a few feet away and stormed into the open office. From where they were hidden they could hear the clattering inside of the ghost rider, presumably destroying the equipment they’d been attempting to use.

“In case you’ve lost count, that’s the second time I’ve saved you today.” Peter hissed in Stiles’ ear. “And you’re lucky you’re still breathing.” He added with a glare at Theo.

“Too bad you aren’t an alpha anymore.” Stiles ground out. “You’d be even more useful if you could just bite him and save his life.”

“I’m going to bite you just to shut you up.” Peter warned in a low murmur. “But more in a tearing out your throat type of way.”

“Knock it off,” Theo grunted. “This isn’t getting us anywhere. Thanks for saving us. When they’ve left, we can try again.” He whispered. “By the way, thanks for leaving me alone you dickheads.”

“You were unconscious.” Stiles mumbled. “How was I supposed to know you were going to wake up any time soon? You shouldn’t be up and moving right now anyways, you need to rest. How are you not in pain right now?”

“I took my medicine, I’m fine.” Theo replied, averting his gaze as Stiles looked at him.

“Like hell you are. It takes at least fifteen minutes to kick in and that’s a generous minimum. How many pills do you even have left? I bet it isn’t that many if you just got a refill.” Stiles reached forward, snagging the bottle before Theo had time to process the movement. He sighed and pressed his lips in a thin line, watching Stiles count the pills and a look of horror cross his face. “Theo…” he glanced down at the bottle and then back at his friend. Pain flashed through Theo’s expression and Stiles grabbed at Peter’s arm, the older werewolf shaking him off immediately. “You have to take his pain. He’s not going to make it unless you do.” He pleaded.

“I don’t care for it to work. You know that it won’t.” Peter said quietly.

“You have to try!” Stiles slammed his palm against the pillar, startling the other two men. “Peter, please. He’s hurting right now and his heart can’t take this stress and he needs your help. You’re a werewolf, do something!”

“How many are there?” Peter asked, his attention finally shifting to Theo. He hesitated a brief moment before reaching out, fingers pressing lightly against the side of his neck. His eyes closed and he took a breath, concentrating. He stood there for a moment, brow creasing in annoyance when nothing happened. “See? I told you.” He said, wishing for once that he wasn’t right. Theo let out a weak laugh that turned immediately into a cough. He pressed his face to his shoulder for a moment, taking shallow breaths before looking up at Peter.

“Five.” Theo said softly, taking the bottle back and putting it in his jacket. “I’m down to five pills left. Which means in theory, I have less than three days before I’m out. Then it’s only a matter of time until I’m dead.”

-

After going upstairs and laying down for a while, Liam gave up on trying to sleep. He rolled on his side and grabbed his phone, dialing the first number that came to mind without second thought. “ _Liam?_ ” Scott’s voice crackled down the line and warmth filled him at the familiar sound of his alpha’s voice. “ _Hey, what’s wrong? Aren’t you in class right now?_ ”

“Nurse sent me home because of my headache.” Liam said, flopping onto his back to stare up at the ceiling. “Scott, something happened earlier. I was talking to Tara’s mom and it was like she was remembering Theo but she couldn’t grasp it. I think he might have been her son. And then Tara got really weird with me right after that. None of it made any sense.” There was a long pause and for a moment, Liam worried that Scott had disappeared. He could hear his heartbeat over the phone line though and finally the older boy exhaled in a quiet sigh.

“I _think you might be right. You and Lydia. We thought Stiles wasn’t real but...we found a Jeep. It was registered to Claudia Stilinski but all of our scents were inside. I don’t know how. I don’t remember that Jeep at all. Lydia thinks it belonged to Stiles so she’s trying to investigate._ ”

“I've got to go.” Liam ended the call before Scott could protest, climbing out of bed. He grabbed his hoodie and tugged it over his head, pocketing his phone and snatching the keys from his dresser before hurrying downstairs. His mother called after him but he ignored her, focused on making it to his car and getting where he was needed. Whatever Scott and the others had found, maybe it would put him one step closer to finding his anchor. Maybe even his soulmate.

He pulled up alongside the curb just as Lydia parked in driveway. He thrust the gearshift into park and scrambled from his vehicle, catching up with her at the top of the driveway. “Scott said you might have found something. I want to help.” He said when she lifted an eyebrow at him.

“Just try not to wolf out on them.” She warned before raising a hand to knock. The door swung open a second later and Claudia frowned at them, stepping back without a word to usher the pair inside.

“Shouldn’t you both be at school right now?” She asked as they walked into the living room. Lydia took a seat in the armchair and Liam stood beside her, arms crossing over his chest as they both looked at her and the sheriff.

“Mr. and Mrs. Stilinski…” Lydia began, holding out the piece of paperwork that stated the Jeep had once belonged to Claudia. “I found this today.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.” Claudia began as she looked down at the paper, the aged material crinkling in her grasp. “I haven’t seen that Jeep in almost eighteen years.”

“That paperwork says it belongs to you.” Lydia frowned at the woman, head tilting in confusion.

“I reported it as stolen.” Claudia explained, sounding almost exasperated. Liam furrowed his brow and glanced between the two women, trying not to step in out of place.

“Then how did it end up at the high school?” Lydia asked with an edge of desperation in her voice. The scent of hopelessness wafted up from her, mixed with a sense of dread that made his stomach clench. He frowned and set his hand on her shoulder, offering silent comfort.

“Beats the hell out of me,” John cut in with a helpless little gesture of his hands. “That thing was a junker back in the day. God only know who would want it now.” He said. Lydia’s breath hitched for a moment and Liam squeezed gently, looking down at her. Her folded hands on her lap began to tremble and she pressed her nails into her palms, fighting whatever she was feeling.

“Maybe somebody dumped it there?” Claudia suggested.

“Is there…” Lydia took a shaky breath and cleared her throat, trying again. “Is there any way to trace the history of the Jeep after it was stolen?” When the sheriff shook his head, Lydia tensed. “Maybe there’s fingerprints in it.” She whispered in exasperation. Liam didn’t have to look to know there were tears in her eyes. The scent of sorrow was starting to thicken around her and his own heart ached in sympathy.

“Lydia. Is this about Stiles?” John asked gently, sharing a concerned look with his wife.

“Honey, don’t you think you’ve taken this far enough?” Claudia handed the paperwork back over and Liam took it, stuffing it into his hoodie pocket as Lydia reached up and squeezed his hand tightly. Her fingers shook minutely against his and her breath stuttered. “I don’t really know what’s going on with you lately but maybe it’s a good idea to talk to your mom.”

“She’s not crazy,” Liam growled out before he could stop himself. From Claudia’s taken aback look, his eyes must have been glowing. Lydia dug her nails into Liam’s hand and weakly nodded, seeming to shrink in on herself as she looked at the couple.

“I’m sorry. You’re right.” The words were weakly spoken and Liam’s chest seized. He couldn’t remember ever seeing the banshee so broken. “I’m sorry. Can you just...do you mind…” She gestured toward the bathroom and as the couple nodded, she stood and bolted from the room. Liam sighed and sat down in the chair, trying not to listen as the young woman broke down in the middle of the hallway. He closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands for a moment, fingers tugging loosely at his hair before he looked up at the sympathetic but confused couple across from him.

“You don’t know what it’s like for us.” He whispered, showing his blank wrist to the pair. “To know that our soulmates are out there and we’ve somehow forgotten them. You have each other but we don’t have that. I don’t know what’s real anymore and what is just made up. I don’t even know the name of my soulmate.” He swallowed thickly, blinking back his own fresh tears. “But Lydia does and that’s all she has. We just want answers, sheriff. She knows she loved someone named Stiles and that’s all she has. We don’t even know if we can get him back. Or any of our friends we’ve lost. And what if we can’t? If we’re just stuck like this, tormented by memories of people we’ve lost that we can’t ever see again? I’d rather disappear than have to live with that knowledge. It’s already tearing me apart and I still can’t remember my soulmate.” He scrubbed at his eyes. “We’re sorry for bothering you but we need answers. We aren’t going to stop until we have them all.” He stood and rubbed his face against his shoulder, walking over to the hallway. Lydia looked up from where she was curled up against the wall, her lower lip quivering as she watched him. He silently offered his hand and helped her up, looping an arm around her waist and leading her outside without a word. He could feel the sheriff watching with his wife as he walked Lydia to her car and turned his back to them, cradling the strawberry blonde against his chest as she broke down in a fresh wave of sobs.

“He’s real, Liam. He has to be real.” She cried, her breath hitching in small hiccups as she clung to him. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. How am I supposed to bring him back? What if I can’t?” She whimpered, shudders wracking her small frame as he held her tight.

“We’ll find a way. You’re smart, Lydia. You’ve always been the smart one.” Liam whispered against her hair, a few of his own tears slipping free again. “We’ll go into the storm and drag him out if we have to. Him and everyone else they’ve taken from us.” He knew it was foolish to promise something like that but he was desperate. She nodded weakly and pulled back, dabbing at her eyes with a mangled attempt at a smile.

“Even if it’s just me and you. We won’t give up on Stiles.” She said firmly, taking him by the hand and squeezing it. “We’ll bring him back. Him, Theo, and everyone else. There has to be a way.” With fire in her eyes, Liam couldn’t help but believe her. Lydia Martin had never been the kind to back down and she always seemed to beat the odds. Maybe things really would be okay.

-

The riders returned with new captives. Theo shouldn’t have felt relieved to recognize people from Beacon Hills but he did. If they were still targeting the town then that meant they weren’t moving on. It meant there was still some way to get back to Liam and his friends. He watched as a girl rushed into the arms of her sister, the pair reuniting in a warm embrace that made his chest tighten. Would Liam react that way if he saw him again? Or would he not remember Theo, staring blankly at him as he had done to Stiles? The thought made him tremble and he pressed himself closer to the bench he was curled up on, breath wheezing from him as gunshots echoed around the room.

“This isn’t a train station,” Peter breathed out from a few feet away. “This is a way station.” He told Stiles from where they were pressed side by side, hiding from the chaos. “It’s not going to stop.”

“That’s why all of the other trains have arrived, right?” Theo asked, turning his head to look over at them. “And why Beacon Hills says it’s on time on the board?”

“They’re not just taking people. They’re trying to wipe out the whole town. Bannack, Canaan, those are cities that are already gone. We have to get out of here. Nobody is safe.” Peter pressed his forehead against the bench as he turned to the side.

“Yeah, in here?” Stiles hissed sarcastically. “Never would have guessed.”

“No, you imbecile. In Beacon Hills. Your friends, your family, everyone that you’ve ever known. They’re going to be taken.” Peter said before lifting himself into a crouch, hurrying away.

“Peter!” Stiles grabbed for him and cursed as his fingers grabbed at empty air. “Theo, stay here. Keep your head down and don’t follow us.” He ordered before retreating after the other man.

“Not like I can get far,” Theo huffed before coughing into his arm. He twisted around to watch the pair disappear down the tunnel, closing his eyes and bringing his hands up to block out the deafening gunshots and screams all around him.

“Peter!” Stiles caught up to the other male as they neared the end of the tunnel where the portal was. “What’s the plan then?”

“I’m going through the portal.” Peter said as if it were obvious. “Humans can’t make it but I’m better than human. I’m getting the hell out of here before they can erase me for good. I’ll heal.” He paused as Stiles jerked to a halt behind him and took a breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He turned slowly, “Stiles. Let’s not have a moment.”

“You have to find my friends and convince them that I’m real. You have to tell them about me. They won’t remember me, they won’t remember Theo.” His lips quivered, eyes shining brightly. “You have to tell them that I’m here.”

“No. When I make it, I’m going to get as far away from Beacon Hills as I can.” Peter said firmly. “But _if_ I happen upon one of your below average friends and it doesn’t inconvenience me, I might mention your name.” He said before turning and starting to walk toward the invisible barrier.

“What about Malia?” Stiles asked, halting him in his tracks. Peter took a shaky breath and turned back around to face the human, his own eyes nearly glistening. “I know you’re doing this for her.” Stiles pressed, taking a step closer. “You’re risking being incinerated for her. I’m okay with that.” Somewhere behind him, a horse neighed and a shiver crept up his spine. “Here.” He pulled his car keys from his pocket and pressed them into his hand. “Take them. Maybe they’ll help everyone remember.” It was a shot in the dark but he had to try.

“Stiles. Stall them.” Peter said firmly, not giving him time to respond before scurrying over to the platform and hauling himself up. Stiles scrambled to do the same, hesitating as he looked around before his gaze fell on a bench. He hurdled over it and grabbed the back, flipping it up with enough force that it toppled over onto the track. Hoping that would be enough he hurried behind a pillar and held his breath as he waited. The first rider came racing from the darkness, horse rearing up just in front of the bench. The rider urged it around and Peter launched himself from the platform, struggling with the rider as they headed for the barrier. He turned his head briefly to nod at Stiles before one of the riders stopped, turning and cracking his whip at Stiles. He toppled down onto the track with a groan, watching Peter and the riders disappear through the barrier. Now all he could do was wait.

-

Liam leaned his head back against the seat of the Jeep, huffing softly in annoyance. He didn’t understand what they were all doing there, sitting and just waiting for something to happen. But Lydia hadn’t been able to stay away and Liam hadn’t wanted to leave her alone in her current state. She’d managed to pull herself together long enough for the drive back to school but he wasn’t sure she could keep the facade up for long. Scott had immediately noticed her red rimmed eyes but thankfully chose not to comment. Malia had wrinkled her nose but also kept silent, choosing to stand outside of the vehicle while the others tried to work things out. Now Lydia was half asleep in the front seat, Scott in a similar state beside her and Liam felt...lonely.

He shifted to get comfortable and drew his knees up to his chest, staring down at the blank skin on his wrist where there was supposed to be a name. His skin still looked bruised but there was no pain if he applied pressure, nothing to indicate anything was wrong. It made his skin crawl as he rubbed the spot, longing for something to change. He didn’t need a full name, just a letter and he could start guessing. And E? A D? Z? P? There were so many options to run through and his head went dizzy with the thought of facing such an impossible task. He closed his eyes again and tipped his head back against the window, losing himself in a new memory.

_“Hey there.” Someone grabbed his hand from behind, lacing their fingers together before he could protest. Liam smirked and turned around, pulling the other person up against his chest. He felt a small thrill at the breathless laugh from the other person and warm lips pressed shyly to his cheek. “You were looking pretty good at practice earlier.”_

_“I knew you were watching me.” Liam grinned and tried not to preen. He looked down at their tangled hands, wrists pressed together and skin connected all the way up to their elbows. “You’re so beautiful.” He whispered, unable to resist as he looked up into bright green eyes. Warmth flooded into his cheeks and the boy ducked his head, swinging their hands lightly. Liam lifted them up and slowly untangled their fingers, turning his wrist so he could see the name curled over his skin. His gaze traveled downward, a satisfied smile appearing as he saw-_

A roar jolted him from his thoughts and he snapped upright in his seat, sharing an anxious look with Scott. Lydia wordlessly climbed from the car and the two boys were quick to follow, joining her at Malia’s side. “Who was that?” Liam demanded.

“I don’t know but it sounded familiar.” Malia said, her nostrils flaring slightly.

“All of Beacon Hills had to hear that.” Lydia said, sounding breathless.

“You don’t know who it was?” Scott glanced at Malia and she shook her head.

“Go!” Lydia waved at them, looking to where the sound had come from. “Go find out!”

“Liam, you stay with Lydia.” Scott ordered firmly before sharing a look with Malia. The two broke into a run, disappearing across the parking lot. Liam laced his fingers behind his head and looked up at the sky, a frustrated growl escaping him. He started to pace in front of the Jeep, quietly uttering his mantra for control as he fought the urge to shift and snarl. His control was slipping, as often seemed to be the case these days, and he didn’t know how to stop it. It was unbearable without his anchor, someone he hadn’t even known existed. It made him grind his teeth harder and turn away as Lydia cleared her throat.

“The full moon is in two days. Can you feel it?” She asked softly, knowing the answer. He nodded stiffly and dropped his hands, turning to face her with bright yellow eyes.

“I don’t know what I’m doing. I can’t make it stop anymore, nothing is working. Between that and not knowing who my soulmate is…” he shook his head, a whine escaping him. “All I have is a shadow where they’re supposed to be.”

“A what?” Lydia asked, quirking an eyebrow at him. He extended his hand and she stepped closer, taking his wrist between her hands and rotating it slowly to get a better look. The bruising was still faint but by her soft gasp, she could see it. “Liam, look.” She murmured, turning her own wrist over for him. Dark marks covered her skin where a name should be, consistent with Liam’s own but far darker. He reached over and traced the shadows marring her pale skin, looking up in confusion.

“I don’t understand…”

“Stiles is my soulmate. He has to be. I remember loving him. I know I did. The more I remember, the more this starts to change. It makes sense. Right?” She looked pleadingly at him and he nodded, dropping his fingers from her wrist. “They’re real, Liam. And we’re going to find them and bring them back.”

“But I don’t remember mine at all.” He whispered, swallowing back a wave of sorrow. She took his hand and squeezed tightly, words failing her as she pulled him close. As he had done for her, she drew him into a hug and let him put his head on her shoulder. They stayed like that, holding one another until Scott returned a while later. He didn’t say a word, only holding up a pair of keys and nodding at the Jeep. The three approached the vehicle slowly and Liam climbed into the back, leaning forward as the other two sat in the front. Lydia took a deep breath and turned the keys in the ignition, her heart skipping a beat in joy as it started under her fingers. It sputtered pathetically and she continued to press the pedal, her eyes wide as she tried to get it working.

“Don’t flood it.” Scott cautioned, reaching over and touching her arm. She gave a jerky nod and let off the pedal, releasing the keys before trying again. This time, the Jeep roared to life and its lights flooded the parking lot. They shared a startled laugh before looking at each other in wonder. “So what does it mean?” Scott asked softly.

“I don’t-“ Lydia started to speak but the radio between them crackled to life. Scott immediately reached for the volume, pausing as Lydia batted his hand away and told him to wait.

“ _Hello? Is anyone there?_ ” A male voice crackled through the radio and Liam pushed himself further forward between the seats. “ _Can anyone hear me?_ ”

Lydia lifted the walkie, her breaths quick and shaky as she pressed the button on the side. “St-Stiles?” She stammered out nervously.

“Stiles, are you there?” Scott asked as he leaned closer.

“ _Scott? Lydia? Is that you?”_

“I’m here too,” Liam whined softly.

“Oh my god, Stiles.” Lydia whispered, rocking slightly as she pressed the button again. “We can hear you.”

“ _You know me? You remember me?_ ”

“Stiles is this...is this really you?” Lydia asked between heavy gasps for air. Liam reached over and squeezed her shoulder in silent support, swallowing hard. “Is this actually you?”

_“It’s me. Do you remember the last thing I said to you?”_

“You said…” Lydia hesitated and looked over at Scott. “You said ‘remember I love you.’ How could I forget?” She shuddered, a tearful gasp escaping her.

“Are you okay?” Scott asked when there was silence on the other end.

“Where are you?” Lydia asked, biting down on her lip.

“We’re coming to get you.” Scott said firmly. Liam swallowed hard and reached for the radio, gently curling his fingers over Lydia’s as he pressed the button.

“Stiles...is Theo there? My anchor?” He asked quietly. “What about my soulmate? Are they there too?”

“ _Liam? Oh boy, it’s good to hear your voice. Theo is...oh man, it’s bad. Scott, he needs his heart medicine. He only has a handful of pills left and they won’t last for more than a few days. I don’t...I don’t know that he’s going to make it._ ”

“What about my soulmate?” Liam asked, trying to keep his voice from breaking.

“ _Liam...Theo is your soulmate._ ” The words felt like a nail in his heart. He dropped his hand from Lydia’s and shoved Scott forward against the dashboard, crawling up behind him and falling out of the Jeep. His breaths turned ragged and distantly he heard Stiles tell them to look for Canaan but he couldn’t focus. Tears blurred his vision as he stumbled blindly forward, carrying himself until his knees buckled and he hit the ground. He screamed and slammed his fist into the asphalt, blood pooling beneath his knuckles as he repeated the gesture until it was a mess of skin and bone. Broken sobs escaped him as he stared through teary eyes down at his wrist, his stomach lurching at the sight of where Theo’s name was supposed to be. He lifted his mangled hand and trailed bloodied fingers over his skin, a desperate whine escaping him.

Across a supernatural barrier inside of a way station, someone else touched Liam’s name.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Hayden resort to drastic measures to find a way to bring everyone back. As always, nothing goes according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this fic, Manon and I decided to use Josh to replace Theo as the evil first chimera. However, then there was the need to replace Josh as the electric eating chimera...hence the name Jada. Just some minor differences you should take note of before reading the chapter.

The next couple of days passed in a blur for Liam. Usually the height of the full moon sharpened his senses and brought him to keen awareness but this time was different. He stumbled through the days in a blood red haze, every click of a pen bringing his claws out beneath his desk and every pop of gum an assault on his eardrums. After the first day, Scott had ordered him to go home and feign sickness to keep him away from the school. His nights were spent running the preserve being chased down by Scott and Malia until they could pin him down and chain him to a tree. They’d even doubled the chains after the first night when he’d broken free and nearly taken Malia’s arm off in a brief scuffle.

Liam knew why he was struggling with control. Not only had he lost his anchor but finding out that had also been his soulmate? That was a hard enough pill to swallow without adding in that Theo was dying. There was a chance he wouldn’t make it out alive and the very thought made Liam’s blood run cold. He couldn’t remember what the boy looked like or how his voice sounded, despite the memories. It was like his brain was wrapped in gauze and white static was bouncing around in his head. He couldn’t lose Theo. That was the only thought that seemed to stick and replay itself on a loop. No matter what it took, he would bring the other boy back.

He’d finally made it back to school after four days, handing in a handwritten note from Dr. Geyer that said Liam had been dealing with migraines and his IED all week. The receptionist had given him a sympathetic look before handing the note over to Tara. Liam hadn’t met the girl’s eyes, focusing on signing himself in and grabbing a late pass to class. He grabbed the strap of his bookbag and started toward class, muttering an apology as he brushed past another student on his way out the door. He walked slowly up the stairwell to his physics class, taking a deep breath to steady himself before walking inside. He offered the note to Mr. Douglas and took a seat beside Hayden, pulling his textbook out and flipping it open.

“Liam,” his name was barely audible from her lips. He turned to find her wrinkling her nose and leaning back, concern etched on her face. “Why do you reek of medicine?”

“I took my risperdal.” Liam muttered from the corner of his mouth as he looked back down at his textbook. 

“I thought that stuff didn’t work because we’re...you know?” 

“It doesn’t work well. Not unless you take enough of the pills.” He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, the sleeve of his jacket slipping down. Before he could cover it, Hayden’s fingers shot out and wrapped around his wrist. She dragged it closer to inspect, her lips twisting in a harsh frown.

“Liam-”

“I’m fine.” He snatched his hand back and adjusted the sleeve, covering up the fading red marks that he’d anxiously scratched into his skin for days. “Sorry,” he sighed quietly. “I needed to try and take some of the edge off. I can’t afford to keep wolfing out at school. So I took some of my old meds, just enough to dull everything a little more.”

“I’m worried about you, Liam. I’ve never seen you like this. You’re so worked up…” Hayden said softly, reaching over and placing her hand over his. 

“Maybe you have and you just don’t remember.” He smiled bitterly and withdrew his hand. “I’m fine, Hayden. Now can we focus on the assignment? Please?” He tried to smile under the weight of her gaze, knowing by her pursed lips that it must have fallen flat. “We can talk more after class. Promise.”

“We’d better. Mason has been worried to death about you and it’s not fair to him either.” Hayden said before turning back to her work. A stab of guilt hit him and he turned his head, meeting the soft gaze of his best friend. Mason glanced around the room for a moment before tossing a folded piece of paper to him, the object landing just next to his pencil. He unfolded it gently to find a poorly drawn series of stick figures of him and the pack, all charging across a field to find Stiles and Theo on the other side. It made him smile and he mouthed his thanks, tucking the drawing away into the front pocket of his jeans. 

When the bell rang, Liam headed downstairs with Hayden and sighed as they reached the bottom. “Scott and I talked last night.” He began, fighting the urge to play with the sleeves of his jacket. “He, Lydia, and Malia are planning to go find Canaan. He said we should go through with whatever plan you’ve got as long as we don’t destroy his house again.”

“But I don’t have a plan.” Hayden said. Liam slowed to a halt, looking at her doubtfully. “Okay. I  _ have _ a plan. But it’s terrible.”

“Could it work? You said you had all of these ideas about how to catch a ghost rider.” Liam said, reminding her of a brief conversation through text during his absence.

“Like I said, it’s terrible. And then I had another really bad idea.” She said. “We would need to break into the faculty storage room.”

“Great. Let’s do it. To save the whole school from ghost riders? Won’t be a problem.” Liam said as they slipped into their next class. “We can tell Mason and Corey about it at lunch.” He added before going to his seat across the room and getting out his notebook. As class wore on, Liam could practically feel the drugs burning out of his system. He tapped his leg restlessly under his desk until the girl in front of him turned around, snapping at him to cut it out and stop bothering her. He’d gnashed his teeth and hissed an apology, anger pulsing under his skin until the bell rang. He tossed on his bookbag and hurried for the door, reeling as Hayden grabbed him by the arm and dragged him down the hall. She ducked into an empty classroom and shut the door, watching him warily.

“What the hell? Why is this so hard for you right now?” She demanded, watching as Liam backed away as his claws came out.

“The sun...the moon...the truth.” Liam whispered as he screwed his eyes shut, driving his sharpened nails into his palms. Blood trickled slowly down his fingers and he took a deep breath, repeating the mantra again. After the fourth time, his claws withdrew and he sank down into a chair as exhaustion settled in his bones. “It’s been getting worse,” he whispered without looking at Hayden.

“Yeah I can tell. This is more than your IED, Liam. More than just losing your anchor and soulmate.”

“He’s dying,” Liam murmured after a beat of silence. His breath whooshed out and he leaned down, bracing his elbows against his thighs as he stared down at the floor. It was the only thing he’d kept from his friends, begging Scott not to tell anyone until he was ready. It was a truth he didn’t want to face. “Stiles said Theo is dying. And there’s not a damn thing I can do about it!” He slammed his fist against the seat of his chair, the metal denting from the force. 

“Yes you can.” Hayden pinched the bridge of her nose. “We find a ghost rider and capture it. Make it tell us where the others are and how to bring them back. Peter came back, right? So there has to be a way for the others.”

“Peter nearly died in the process. What if Theo isn’t strong enough when we find a way for them to get out?”

“You can’t keep thinking like that. You’re worrying yourself to death about him and we still need you here. I get that you’re upset and you’re scared but you have to stay focused right here and now. We can’t do this without you.” She put her hand on his shoulder and he leaned into the touch, smiling weakly up at her. 

“Thanks.” He said softly, slowly getting back onto his feet. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re a great friend.”

“I know I am.” She smiled sweetly and patted him on the cheek, a tiny giggle escaping as he frowned at her. “Come on, Liam. I’m starving and we still have to come up with a plan.” She said before taking him by the hand and leading him to the cafeteria. He slid into his usual space beside Mason and they immediately launched into a quiet discussion of their plans for the afternoon. Breaking into the faculty storage room wasn’t going to be an easy task immediately after school and so Corey had suggested doing it between classes to avoid suspicion and get it done quickly. Unfortunately for him, Mason had a plan to help keep them from being noticed. 

“I hate this plan,” Liam mumbled as he put his hands on Hayden’s hips. 

“Liam. For crying out loud, stop acting like kissing me is the end of the world. Just get close enough to make it look real.” Hayden rolled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing close to him. “They’re not paying any attention to us.” She whispered with a glance over his shoulder before focusing back on him. She leaned their foreheads together and let their noses touch, closing her eyes. “You really know how to make a girl feel special, don’t you?” She muttered sarcastically. 

“This feels like cheating,” Liam whined as he pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. “I don’t even know why we’re doing this.”

“Because PDA makes people uncomfortable and the teachers will look right past us. Once those two are gone, we can go inside and get what we need. Just like we talked about earlier.”

“Do you have the list?”

“It’s in my head.” Hayden said, rolling her eyes as Liam jumped back in surprise. “Idiot. Of course I didn’t write it down. If we get caught stealing school supplies then no one will know what we’re after. It’s a great idea.” She glanced back over his shoulder and tapped his arm as the teachers waiting outside of the teacher’s lounge finally disappeared. “Okay, now.” Liam nodded and hurried for the door, holding it open for her to slid inside. They quickly headed to the basement and Hayden immediately began to grab supplies, lips pursed in concentration. 

“Can’t we just buy a lightning rod?” Liam asked, shooting an anxious glance toward the doorway. 

“Sure if you have $2500.” She rolled her eyes again and Liam wondered if it were possible to get them stuck in the back of your head. Would being a werewolf counteract that or would they stay stuck? He almost didn’t notice her go around the corner and he scrambled to catch up, stumbling as she stopped abruptly. In the middle of the room Mr. Douglas sat at a table, working on something Liam couldn’t describe. 

“What are you doing here?” Mr. Douglas demanded as Hayden stepped closer, hastily getting to his feet and quickly gathering his supplies. “This is for faculty only.”

“Then why are you the one leaving?” Hayden asked, her nose scrunching in confusion. “Plugs and wires? Are you...are you making a taser?”

“Of course not. No, no.” Mr. Douglas let out a nervous chuckle and the pieces slid into place for Liam. It had only been a matter of time before someone noticed what was going on and started making preparations for it. 

“You saw them, didn’t you?” He asked quietly as he took a step closer. “Was it the night of the lacrosse game?” He asked as Mr. Douglas attempted to go around him. “You saw the lightning, the men, and the horses?”

The older man took a deep breath, the line of his mouth hardening as he watched Liam. “Dozens of them.” He finally answered. 

“Then what?” Liam asked gently. 

“It was chaos. They were everywhere. Some of the kids were running but for everyone else, it’s like they weren’t even there. They couldn’t see a thing.” His gaze drifted to the floor as if lost in his thoughts. The scent of fear rolled off of him, throwing Liam for a moment. He wasn’t used to seeing an adult so nervous and shaken. 

“We did.” Hayden spoke up. “And we’ve got a lot more to tell you if you really wanna fight back.” She said, her gaze steady as she watched him. 

“You’re just a bunch of teenagers. What could you possibly know about things like this?” He asked, curiosity lighting his gaze as he looked from them to the pile of metal he’d been piecing together. 

“More than you’d understand. We want to keep everyone safe. People are going missing left and right and we don’t have time for all of the details right now. What’s important is finding a way to stop them. We can do that if we work together.” Liam said as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Come on up to my room. It’s my planning now and no one will bother us. I’ll write an excuse for your other teachers.” Mr. Douglas said. They spent the next few minutes cleaning up his work area, shoving most of his unfinished project into a duffel bag that they carried upstairs. The teacher rifled through his cabinet for a moment before producing a map, spreading it across one of the lab tables to study with Liam and Hayden. For the remainder of the time, they discussed plans to capture one of the ghost riders and Mr. Douglas cautioned them that perhaps the riders had a way to control where the lightning struck. When it came down to it, there was one simple solution - to find someone to absorb the lightning.

“But I doubt Kira could even do that,” Hayden lamented. “And she’s off in the desert with the skinwalkers.”

“No. But Jada could.” Liam pointed out, thinking of the girl who had connected herself to a car battery to feed from the electricity. 

“She’s dead. Josh killed her, remember?” Hayden told him.

“Yeah. He killed her and absorbed her powers. But we know where to find him and how to get to him.” Liam said quietly. It would be a risky move but hopefully one that would pay off in the end. Anything that got him closer to bringing Theo back was worth a shot, no matter how dangerous. “Looks like we’re going to see Mrs. Yukimura after school.”

-

Liam stood anxiously on the porch step, lowering his hand back to his side as a knock echoed through the house. He heard a quiet murmur inside and then soft footsteps, the door swinging open to reveal him and Hayden. “Mrs. Yukimura.” He bowed his head respectfully.

“Liam. Hayden. To what do I owe this unusual pleasure?” She asked, stepping aside and motioning for them to step inside. “Have you come about the ghost riders?” The mention made Liam’s blood run cold and he tensed, sharing a look with Hayden. Noshiko’s gaze softened as she watched the pair and she smiled sadly. “I know that’s what’s going on right now. I told Kira the story of them last year. With all of the storms lately...it’s the only logical conclusion.”

“Do you know how to stop it?” Liam asked, his voice filled with hope. The little bit of light in his eyes went dark as Noshiko shook her head, lips pressing in a grim line.

“Once you are caught in the storm, the legend says you are gone forever. Doomed to ride the wild hunt for the rest of eternity.” She explained, taking them into the living room to have a seat. “But I suspect that answer will not satisfy you?”

“We think we have a way to catch a ghost rider.” Hayden chimed in. “We just need a way to catch a lightning bolt and...there’s only one person that might be able to do it.”

“I’m afraid even Kira couldn’t do that. She does not have the control or the mastery-”

“It’s not Kira.” Liam interrupted, tapping his foot on the ground. “We need Josh.” Noshiko’s gaze sharpened in understanding and she held up her hand, stilling his movements and commanding silence in the room. 

“What you are asking for will surely have strong repercussions. I cannot condone what you are asking for.”

“I’m not asking you to agree. I’ll take full responsibility for bringing Josh back. Noshiko, please.” Liam begged, his voice catching and cracking. 

“Why do you need him to return?” She asked, folding her arms over her chest.

“Because he might be the only person who can help me get my soulmate back.” Liam’s voice broke, tears pooling in his eyes. He held up his wrist for her to see, the light bruising the only sign that something strange was happening. “They  _ stole _ him from me. I can’t remember him. Every time I think I do, he slips away and I hate it so much. I’m losing sleep over him. I don’t know what his voice sounded like or what color his eyes were and it’s killing me. He’s dying and I can’t...I can’t get to him. I can’t save him and I’m supposed to be the alpha in training, I’m supposed to know what to do. How am I supposed to protect Beacon Hills when I can’t protect my soulmate?!” 

_ “Scott thinks it’s the right thing to do. He wants to protect Beacon Hills and this new threat...apparently Deaton’s never seen anything like it. I’m scared too.” Kira told Liam as they walked down the stairwell together, heading for the cafeteria. “You saw that guy, right? He almost killed Scott. If Josh hadn’t shown up-” Whatever she was going to say fell on deaf ears as Liam turned the corner, colliding with another body. He grunted and reached out to steady himself against the wall, looking down to see wide green eyes staring up at him from the floor. _

_ “I’m sorry, man. I wasn’t paying attention.” He said as he offered his hand. The other boy grimaced and took it, his free hand lightly rubbing at his chest as he was helped onto his feet. “You okay?” He asked, tilting his head in confusion. Why was his heartbeat so...off? It was irregular in a way that made Liam’s own race in anxiousness, putting him on red alert. And he smelled like chemicals, like sickness and a touch of death. It made his skin crawl. _

_ “I’m fine. I should have been paying more attention, I was trying to find the nurse’s office.” The boy explained, dropping his hand from his chest momentarily and then scratching the back of his neck. “I think I got a little turned around though.” _

_ “It’s around the corner. Are you sick?” Liam asked, hoping he didn’t seem to be prying. The other boy offered a bitter smile, shrugging one shoulder. _

_ “I’m not contagious, if that’s what you really want to know. I’ve just got to go take some medicine.” _

_ “Liam, why don’t you show him where it is?” Kira asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked between the pair. “I’ve got to stop by my locker first anyways and take my dad his lunch. I’ll meet you there.” She smiled and stepped around them, leaving the pair alone in the quiet hallway.  _

_ “Liam?” The other boy asked, something like wonder in his gaze. “I’m Theo.” _

_ “Theo…?” Why did that name sound familiar? Liam frowned and glanced down for a moment, his eyes widening as he took in the cursive script on his skin. Oh fuck. Theo was beautiful. His soulmate… _

“Liam, you need to breathe.” Noshiko’s voice dragged him back to reality and he gasped, blinking through tears to look up at her. “Where did you go?” She asked softly, her hand gently resting on his shoulder.

“I...I don’t know. I can’t remember.” Liam sniffed and wiped at his eyes, clenching his jaw as he looked at the floor. Silence stretched between them for a moment before Noshiko finally sighed, bowing her head.

“Go to the tunnels where Kira sent Josh away. I will meet you there within the hour. But Liam? Hayden? Know that I am only doing this because there doesn’t seem to be another choice. What happens next will be on your hands.” She cautioned.

“We’ll be there.” Liam whispered, getting unsteadily to his feet. He let Hayden take him by the elbow and guide him out, leaning into her as the front door shut behind them.

“I’m worried about you.” She said gently, holding out her hands for the keys to his car. He willingly handed them over, knowing he wasn’t in any right state of mind to be behind the wheel.

“Yeah. Tell me what else is new.” He said quietly. He climbed into the car and leaned back in his seat as he closed his eyes. Maybe things would be different when they rescued Josh from wherever they’d sent him. Maybe he would finally have Theo in his arms again.

-

“Liam, wait!” Hayden’s hand shot out but it was too late. The ground split open before them as the sword pierced it, a clawed hand reaching up from the depths of darkness. Glowing yellow eyes rose up and snarling, Josh sprang onto Liam and held him by the throat against the wall. 

“Where are they?!” Josh demanded wildly, his grip tightening around Liam’s trachea. “Where are Tracy and Jada?” He snarled, his claws puncturing Liam’s skin and drawing blood.

“Dead, they’re still dead.” Liam gasped out, reaching up and pulling uselessly at Josh’s hand as black spots began to fill his vision. 

“Josh, you’re killing him!” Hayden cried. “Let him go!”

“I’ll kill all of you.” Josh hissed, looking around the tunnels wildly. He dropped Liam to the ground, faint tremors wracking his body as he scanned the dark corners surrounding them. Liam coughed up a mouthful of blood, spitting it to the side as he clutched the slowly healing wound. “You’re going to pay for what you did to me.”

“Liam, send him back. He’s not going to help us.” Hayden begged, her voice quivering as she watched the two of them. He lifted the sword out to the side, Josh’s gaze falling to it immediately.

“You know what this does?” He asked the chimera, watching him warily. Josh gave a stiff nod, shifting back half a step. “We need your power to help us. Then you can kill whoever you want. But if you do kill us, you’re going to end up worse off than ever.”

“There’s nothing worse than what I’ve been through.” Josh rasped, lifting his fearful gaze to Liam. 

“You ever heard of the ghost riders?” Liam asked quietly. From the way Josh tensed and shuddered, he knew he had. “We need your help catching one.” Stepping aside from the wall, he shifted around and reached for Hayden’s hand to reassure her. “Come on. Mr. Douglas is probably looking for us.” He added softly. The physics teacher was waiting further in the tunnels, handling an electric cable that would test Josh’s durability with electricity. They’d barely managed to convince him not to try and join them as they’d ventured off to collect Josh from where he’d been banished.

As they turned the corner and approached the older man, Josh trailed back a few steps. He eyed the wire with uncertainty and circled in a wide arc until he was standing opposite of Mr. Douglas, swallowing hard. “What makes you think this is going to work?” He asked, glancing at the control box the other man was handling. 

“You took Jada’s power,” Liam reminded from a few feet away. “You can do it.” He added hesitantly, his lack of confidence made known. Josh rolled his eyes and stepped closer, taking a breath and wrapping his fingers cautiously around the solitary cable.

“Here we go.” Mr. Douglas turned one of the dials and Josh went flying, his breath coming in sharp gasps as he hit the ground. 

“Hey, what the hell?” Liam demanded as he marched over, staring down at the chimera. 

“That was only a billion joules.” Mr. Douglas informed with a click of his tongue. 

“Only?” Josh hissed through gritted teeth as he struggled back onto his feet.

“How many are in a bolt of lightning?” Liam asked, already dreading the answer.

“Five billion.” 

“Well I’m fine, thanks for asking.” Josh scoffed as he dusted himself off and sauntered closer to the others, brushing past Liam. 

“You don’t have Jada’s power anymore.” Liam snapped, resisting the urge to punch the other boy. Of course his plan had fallen through. He was no closer to getting Theo back than he had been half an hour beforehand. Maybe Noshiko had been right. Maybe he was gone forever. The thought pressed into his chest like needles.

Hayden huffed and grabbed Josh’s hand, running her fingers along his claws. “Or Tracy’s,” she informed as she released his hand. 

“Guess I’m back to classic Josh.” He smirked slightly.

“Maybe you should try some remorse.” Liam said, taking a step closer to him. “Since you killed them for their powers.”

“I just put them back the way I found them.” Josh said, a muscle in his jaw twitching. 

“We can’t use him. Send him back.” Hayden said as she turned to face Liam. He flexed his fingers around the sword and took a step closer, starting to raise it when Josh scurried back a few steps and held out his hand.

“Wait, hold on. I can help.” He said, his heart beginning to race as he looked between them. “I know about the Wild Hunt from the dread doctors. I also know about things I’m betting you don’t.” Josh’s gaze flicked past Liam to the wall behind him. At least, that’s what Liam thought. 

“I’m with Ms. Romero on this one.” Mr Douglas spoke up, Josh’s heartbeat spiking as he began to talk. “Send him back.”

“Who’s making decisions around here?” Josh backed up, holding his hands up as Liam came closer. “Where’s Scott? Where’s Stiles?”

“You remember Stiles?” Hayden asked as Liam lowered the sword slowly back to his side. 

“Why wouldn’t I remember Stiles?” Josh frowned. 

“Does the name Theo mean anything to you?” Liam barely withheld the desperation from his voice. If Josh remembered him...maybe there was still hope. Maybe there was still a chance they could figure something out.

“Of course. He’s your soulmate.” Josh rolled his eyes and a slow smirk began to spread. “But...you don’t remember, do you? Him or Stiles?” The words cut Liam like a knife. “You don’t remember the pesky humans.”

“Don’t call him that.” Liam snarled, tightening his hold on the sword and raising it slightly as a reminder. “Tell me what you know.”

“I know he was sick. I know his heart was closer to failing him every single day. I know that he followed you into danger every time you were at risk because he was terrified of losing you. He needed you the same way you need him right now.” Josh sounded far too smug and Liam itched to deck him a few times and wipe the floor with the bastard. “I know he’s probably dying right now without his medicine. I remember a lot of things, Liam.”

“Liam, he’s just trying to rile you up.” Hayden warned, reaching over and putting her hand on his arm. “Don’t listen to him. We can find another way-”

“He’s right.” Liam said hoarsely, suppressing a shudder. “Theo  _ is _ dying and I have to find him. For now, he’s coming with us.” It was a risk he had to take. “We’ll take him to Scott’s house. They should be back from Canaan soon.”

“This is a bad idea.” Hayden whispered. “Liam-”

“I’ll tell you everything about the Wild Hunt at Scott’s house.” Josh continued. “I’ll tell you everything I remember about Theo. But only if you take me with you.”

“Deal.”

-

Standing in the middle of Scott’s kitchen felt wrong. Liam knew his alpha was going to be furious when he saw his killer standing there. He tried to remind himself that he was doing it for Stiles and Theo. But even that justification didn’t feel like enough with Josh standing at the kitchen sink, his back to Liam and Hayden as he stared out the window. “You know all about the ghost riders.” Leave it to Hayden to break the silence. “How do we get Stiles, Theo, and the others back?”

“You can’t.” Josh set down the cup he’d just finished drinking from and wrapped his fingers around the countertop. The words shattered Liam in an instant, his vision blurring as he stared forlornly at the chimera. “The Wild Hunt comes. The Wild Hunt goes. That’s how it works.”

“You’re wrong.” Liam whined softly. “They’re still here. They’re still taking people.” He knew he sounded desperate but how was he supposed to feel? He’d brought Josh back for the sole purpose of saving his soulmate and now...now that felt like a pipe dream. 

“That’s not possible.” Josh turned around, his pulse spiking again. “They’re the Wild Hunt. They’re not just going to stick around. Not unless...not unless they’re stuck.” He said softly. 

“So what’s keeping them here?” Hayden asked.

“You’re going to help us get them back.” Liam said, climbing down from his barstool at the kitchen island and walking around it to approach Josh.

“Liam, I don’t know what else to do.” Josh said. He hated the honesty he heard in his pulse.

“Well you remember Stiles and Theo. Clearly you know more than we do.” Hayden said gently.

“You’re going to help us or you’re going back.” Liam said, showing the sword to Josh. The sickening stench of fear filled the room, making his stomach turn in guilt. 

“Let me guess,” Josh sighed heavily, “Scott wasn’t a part of this plan, was he?” The echoing silence told him everything. He let out a humorless laugh and crossed his arms, watching the two werewolves. “Does he even know that you brought me back?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Liam clenched his teeth, knowing from the look on Josh’s face that his eyes were glowing. The three stood in silence around the kitchen table until the back door swung open, Scott’s familiar scent flooding the room. Josh slowly turned his head to see Scott shifting anxiously in the doorway, hurt and betrayal flickering on his face.

“Somehow I don’t think we’re going to hug this out.” Josh turned his body slowly to face the true alpha. Scott drew in shaky breaths, betrayal mixing with anger as he stared helplessly at the chimera and then to Liam holding the sword.

“Scott, I can explain-” Liam started.

“I hope you know it’s taking all of my strength not to tear you in half right now.” Scott warned as he started to advance on Josh. He jerked to a halt as Malia walked in behind him, her growls filling the room.

“Hey, Malia. You aren’t still upset about the whole shooting thing, are you?” Josh took a slow step back as Malia’s eyes flashed blue, her fangs dropping and claws extending. She roared and lunged at him, knocking him onto the floor and preparing her first strike. Josh closed his eyes and Liam felt his heart stop. He was never going to get Theo back.

-

“Come on, come on…” Stiles muttered as he yanked his fingers back through his hair in agitation. He shot an anxious glance back at the pew where Theo was resting, lifting a hand to bite at his nails. It had been hours since the call with Lydia and the others, maybe even days if time really was passing at an abnormal rate in this realm. Theo had been asleep ever since Stiles had left to try the radio again and he couldn’t help the nagging sensation that something was horribly wrong. 

He forced himself to a halt at the end of the bench and turned around, crossing back over to his friend. “Theo. You can’t keep sleeping, that definitely can’t be good for your back. What would Liam and the others say? You know he would yell at you and flash his eyes and get all grumpy like he always does when you’re in pain.” He said as he approached, leaning down to shake his shoulder. Theo’s head rolled back in response and something sinister clenched in Stiles’ gut. “Theo?” He asked again, reaching down to touch the side of his neck. There was a brief moment of relief when a pulse fluttered weakly against his fingertips.

Then it was gone. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam needs Josh to help find Theo. That doesn't mean he has to like it.

Liam was frozen as he watched Malia pummel Josh into the kitchen floor. He opened his mouth to protest but the words stuck in his throat, his limbs locked in place. Malia’s heated snarls bounced around in his head and then Josh spoke, snapping him out of it. “It’s okay, you don’t have to stop.” Malia’s claws came out and she promised she wouldn’t, glowering down at him. The scent of fear snapped Liam out of it and he lunged forward, grabbing her by the wrist. Scott was opposite of him a moment later, helping him drag Malia off and back across the kitchen.

“Slow down, okay. He’s going back in the ground.” Scott said firmly, keeping his hands in front of Malia to block her in case she decided to strike again.

“You can’t!” Liam protested, his voice cracking in desperation. His alpha looked over in surprise and Liam squared his shoulders. “He remembers Stiles.” His gaze flicked to Josh on the floor, the wounded chimera slowly dragging himself across the kitchen floor.

“Scott remembers Stiles.” Malia growled and turned on him. “Lydia and I remember Stiles.” 

“The dread doctors knew all about the Wild Hunt. He can help us.” Liam pleaded, shifting his attention back to Scott. If anyone would take his side on this, it would be his alpha. He had to make him understand why this was so important.

“Or he could kill us.” Scott said, confusion coloring his voice as he frowned at Liam.

“He’s my responsibility.” Liam countered. “Noshiko gave me the sword.”

“It’s so awkward when mom and dad fight.” Josh laughed weakly, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor. 

“Shut up!” Scott’s voice was heated with anger, Liam’s with exasperation. 

“You’re both right.” Hayden cut in, stepping closer to Liam’s side. “If Josh tries anything then we will send him back to the skinwalkers. But for right now, we should use him to our advantage. It’s not a bad idea.”

“He goes back now.” Scott growled, alpha red eyes flashing at his two betas. Liam’s glowed in challenge as he faced his friend, a soft snarl escaping him. “Liam. You don’t want to do this again.” Scott said tensely, his shoulders drawn up as he watched his beta. The words felt like a jolt of electricity and Liam colored, taking a half step back.

“Liam’s the one with the sword.” Josh pointed out, rolling his eyes as everyone in the room commanded for him to shut up. Scott took a deep breath and stepped back toward the living room, motioning for Liam to follow. He paced for a moment before turning to Liam, his eyebrows drawn together.

“What, you don’t trust me?” Liam asked quietly. Scott’s mouth twitched and his heart sank at the realization that perhaps he wasn’t too far off the mark. He had tried to kill Scott for not changing Hayden, it was pretty easy to understand why he wouldn’t be trusted anymore. 

“I don’t trust him. Do you?” Scott asked, taking a half a step closer. Liam recoiled two steps, dropping his gaze for a moment. “Liam…” The pain in Scott’s voice is enough to fuel him to start talking if only to keep Scott from questioning him.

“No. Of course not. But I do think we can use him. Scott, he remembers Stiles. He knows your best friend. And…” his voice wavered for a moment. The other boy took it as a sign of hesitation and he moved closer again.

“Remember who he is. He got into your head and you tried to kill me.” Liam flinched back at that, a sick feeling in his stomach. “When that didn’t work, he  _ did _ kill me. He killed Tracy and Jada too. Who knows how many others he killed?”

“He remembers Theo!” Liam shouted, the words just as much a surprise to him as they were to Scott. He sucked in a breath and swallowed hard, fighting the urge to scream in frustration. His claws pressed into his palms, cutting into his flesh as he clenched his fists tightly. “He remembers Theo,” he repeated in a whisper. “You don’t get it, Scott. You’ve been remembering Stiles, all of you have. And I keep having memories of Theo but not long enough to hold onto. I don’t know anything about him that’s real except that he’s my soulmate and he’s dying because he’s sick. Josh might know how to save him. I need to find him, Scott. I have to bring him back.”

Scott stayed quiet for a moment, studying Liam intently. “Can’t we just try to find somebody else we at least trust?” Liam knew it was a fair question but it didn’t stop his heart from shattering. Did Scott even care that he was suffering so much? Why wasn’t he willing to try whatever it took to help?

“You don’t get it.” Liam said, tears shining in his eyes. “This might be a mistake. I know that. But you made a lot of mistakes when you were learning to be an alpha.” He reminded softly, taking a deep breath and retracting his claws.

“I did. But right now, we don’t have time for mistakes. I can’t lose Stiles.” Scott took a shuddering breath and Liam bit down on his tongue until the taste of blood flooded his mouth. He swallowed it bitterly and glared at Scott through tearful eyes, clenching his jaw.

“So we should be trying anything to save him. Right?” Liam murmured. “Even Josh.”

“Convince me.” Scott said after a moment of thought, watching him closely.

“I’m tired of having this fight.” Liam said softly, the first of his tears starting to fall. “Because Scott? You lost Stiles, your best friend. But Theo isn’t like Stiles to me. He’s my Allison.” He brushed past Scott without a second glance, his chest clenching as Scott’s breath caught. Good. Maybe he was getting a taste of the pain that Liam had been feeling as of late. 

He walked back into the kitchen and lifted his chin, walking over to the island and extending a hand to Josh. He pulled the chimera onto his feet and then stepped back, lifting the sword. “I can put you back in the ground at any time.” He said, hating the way he heard Josh’s heart pick up. He’d never been comfortable with sending him to the skinwalkers in the first place. Something at the back  of his mind whispered that he’d shared that conversation with someone once before. It didn’t matter right now, he couldn’t remember it.

“You also need a transformer that can handle five billion joules of electricity. I know where to find one and I can show you how it works.” Josh told him, his voice soft and earnest. “I’ll tell you if Malia promises not to kill me.”

“She promises.” Liam said even as Malia growled in protest. 

“Do you have a better idea?” Hayden asked, lifting an eyebrow at the angry werecoyote.

“I have an idea. It may not be better but at least it’s not him.” Her lip curled in a sneer and she walked outside, Scott trailing after in her footsteps. Hayden sighed and walked over to join Liam, setting her hand gently on his arm.

“Are you okay?” She asked softly, keeping Josh under her watchful gaze.

“No.” Liam admitted, glancing at her and then back at Josh. “But we’re running out of options right now and for all I know…” The words caught in his throat and he couldn’t say them. He couldn’t imagine a world where Theo was dead, not after just finding out about him. Not after already losing him. “I’m not strong enough for this.” He whispered.

“Like hell you aren’t.” Josh snorted softly, drawing their attention. “You’re Liam Dunbar, one of the toughest betas I’ve ever seen and a force to be reckoned with. Theo would be pissed at you for doubting yourself. He believed in you.” He shifted uncomfortably, seeming to realize he’d revealed too much. “Look, I don’t want to go back with the skinwalkers. I’ll do what I can to help you but it doesn’t come free.” He stole a look at the sword and Liam tensed. But Josh didn’t say anything else about it, just lifted a hand to rub at his eyes. “So where are we staying for the night?”

“We?” Hayden asked, her voice rising in pitch. 

“I have to take him somewhere.” Liam muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. “He can stay at my place for the night. Dad is at the hospital for the night so it’s just me.” 

“What about your mom?” Josh asked, cocking his head to the side.

“I don’t have…” Liam started, his eyes widening in horror. The sick feeling from before returned in full force and he struggled to breathe, screwing his eyes shut. Where was his mother? Why couldn’t he remember her? He clawed at his memories in desperation, searching for any sign of a woman that he could not remember ever knowing. When had he lost someone so vital to him? How was it possible not to recall his own flesh and blood? He lifted his hands and pressed his face into them, bloodied human nails digging into his scalp. The need for air forced him to draw in a ragged breath and he was dimly aware of someone calling his name, begging for him to stop. He whined in response and pressed harder, feeling his claws start to extend as his fangs dropped into his mouth. Roaring, he dropped his hands and the last thing he saw was Josh’s fist. 

-

_ “Theo?” Liam knocked gently on the bedroom door, closing his eyes as he heard a rattling breath answer him. “I’m coming in.” He warned before pushing the door inward. A dark room greeted him, dark curtains drawn over the windows. The air was stale and sick, making his nostrils burn. The subtle scent of death that seemed to permanently taint Theo was stronger now and his stomach clenched. He carefully shut the door and moved to the bed, taking slow steps to make sure he didn’t disturb anything on the floor so he wouldn’t wake the human.  _

_ Gingerly sitting on the edge of the bed, Liam slowly reached out and carefully touched the body curled up in the middle of the bed. Theo let out a quiet moan and he grimaced, withdrawing his hand for a moment. “You idiot. Why didn’t you tell me it was this bad? I would have come for you.” He toed off his shoes and laid down, turning onto his side to face the huddled mass that was Theo. Reaching over, he gently set his hand on the side of Theo’s neck and took a deep breath. Thick black lines slowly traveled up his arm and he closed his eyes, taking as much of his pain as he could before he was forced to let go. _

_ “Liam?” Theo croaked a moment later, shifting around.  _

_ “Sh, go back to sleep.” Liam softly touched his cheek. “I was just stopping by to check on you because you haven’t been answering my texts.”  _

_ “I’m sorry.” Theo started to press close to him and drew in a weak breath, grimacing as he leaned back a little. “Hurts to breathe, sorry.” _

_ “Don’t apologize to me. Save your strength.” Liam reached over and slowly took his hand, lacing their fingers together. “I’m not going anywhere.” _

_ “I might be.” Theo laughed weakly and Liam’s heart began to race. Did the human know something he didn’t? Had the doctors said something new? He’d known since they’d agreed to start dating that Theo had a strong chance of not living into his twenties. But that was still a few years away, they were supposed to have time. _

_ “Theo…” _

_ “I’m just being realistic, Li.” Theo sighed quietly and his eyes drifted shut. “I should be back on my feet in a few days. The doctor just thinks I pushed myself too hard and my body is lashing out at me. I won’t leave you.” They both know it’s a promise he can’t keep but Liam is still thankful for it. He chose not to give a verbal response, lightly squeezing his hand instead. “Will you cuddle with me? I think I can take it if I’ve got my back to your chest. Shouldn’t suffocate me.” He suggested, breaking the comfortable silence between them.  _

_ “Roll over. Let me help you.” Liam said as he shuffled closer. It took a few minutes of stopping and starting over before Theo was finally settled, his back against Liam’s chest. He held Liam’s hand tightly over his own erratically beating heart, his breath hitching. “Theo?” Liam asked softly. _

_ “I’m scared.” The words were barely spoken at an audible level and Liam felt sick. He could smell the salt of Theo’s tears and he clutched at his hand tighter, trying to remember how to breathe. “I don’t want to die, Liam. I’m supposed to live. My parents lost my sister, they can’t lose me too.” _

_ “I won’t let you go.” Liam promised softly, wishing more than anything that he could take this pain away. Theo shuddered softly and then broke, tears tracking steadily down his cheeks as he began to cry. Liam held him close without a word, burying his face against the back of Theo’s neck and breathing in his scent. Maybe if they stayed like this long enough then Liam would have it embedded in his memory.  _

The sound of a creaking floorboard woke Liam and he groaned softly, pressing his face back against the pillow beneath his aching head. Events from the previous night came flooding back and he shot upright, his eyes widening as he looked around the room. Hayden was curled up less than a foot away in the bed but that wasn’t what had woken him. Josh had stopped just outside of the bathroom door, his head cocked to the side as he watched Liam. “What’s going on? What happened?” He asked, rubbing his eyes with the back of his wrist. 

“I’m just using the bathroom.” Josh lifted his manacled hands in front of him and Liam followed the length of chain to where it was wrapped around the leg of a chair in the corner of the room. It would have been easy to break free from but noisy. Josh turned away and headed into the bathroom, leaving the door open as he unzipped and relieved himself. Liam flopped back onto his side with a frown, Hayden stirring next to him. 

“How’s your head?” She asked, reaching over and lightly pressing her fingers to his temple. 

“Sore.” Memories from the previous night flooded him after a moment and he scowled as he heard the bathroom sink start to run. “Did you really have to punch me?” He demanded as Josh walked back into the room, going and sitting in the chair he was chained to. Liam rolled to get a look at him, surprised to find Josh leaning back with his eyes shut. He looked exhausted, the subtle hint of bags under his eyes and his body slouched in a way that Liam didn’t recognize. He wasn’t holding himself with his usual confidence and swagger. “Josh?”

“You were having a panic attack and you wolfed out. I didn’t think either of us could calm you down. You’re a mess without your anchor, you know.” Josh murmured. He opened his eyes and smirked slightly at Liam. “Or I guess in this case, you don’t know because you can’t.”

“You’re such an ass.” Hayden rolled her eyes and stood up, stretching her arms over her head. “You’ve got a transformer you need to show us how to work.”

“Or I could just tell you.” Josh scoffed. “What’s the point of dragging me out into the woods with you?”

“I need breakfast.” Liam muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face as he got to his feet. “How did you guys get me here last night?” He asked as he walked to the chair and knelt down, undoing the chain and keeping hold of it. It was vaguely recognizable from Malia, it must have been one of the ones used to chain her during full moons. 

“Josh and I carried you out to the car after he knocked you out. I found your keys and brought us here since you said your dad was working the night shift. I wasn’t sure you’d want us in your room so the guest room was the next best thing.” Hayden explained as they walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Josh made a face as he sat at the kitchen table, tugging lightly at his restraints and wearing his best bitch face. 

“Why can’t you take these off of me?” He asked, a question that Liam guessed he’d already asked a hundred times by the way Hayden scowled. 

“Because no one trusts you. Now shut up.” She commanded, walking to Liam’s pantry and busying herself with finding a box of cereal. Liam grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit on the counter and instinctively went to the fridge, fetching a container of blueberries. He brought them to the table and set both down in front of Josh, looking at him expectantly. The chimera frowned in confusion and then his eyes widened, a sympathetic look appearing. 

“What? Aren’t you hungry?” Liam asked, Fighting to keep the irritation from his voice. 

“Blueberries were his favorite.” Josh said softly. “You liked to make sure he had a healthy breakfast and things that were good for his heart. You’d bring him an apple every morning because you said berries weren’t enough for a real meal.” He opened the container and popped one into his mouth, chewing slowly. “You really don’t remember him?”

“Nothing.” Liam whispered as he collapsed into the chair beside Josh. “And now my mom…”

“Jenna.” Josh said so quietly Liam almost didn’t hear him. He wanted to ask for more but Hayden appeared with two bowls of cereal, setting one in front of him before sitting on Liam’s other side. 

_ “Jenna! Jenna, help!” Theo’s laughter rang through the kitchen as he darted around the kitchen island, barely clearing the corner before Liam made it around. “Jenna!” _

_ “Liam, are you terrorizing your boyfriend again?” Jenna’s fond voice came from the doorway and froze him in his tracks. “I thought you two were making pizzas?” She lifted an eyebrow, fighting a smile as she watched the pair.  _

_ “We were trying to.” Theo said, leaning on the counter to catch his breath. Liam felt a twinge of sympathy for him. “But then I suggested putting black olives on them and your son, a complete heathen, said they were disgusting.” _

_ “He hates black olives.” Jenna walked over and patted Theo on the shoulder in sympathy. “Has since he was a kid. Why don’t you two just make smaller personal pizzas?” _

_ “That’s what I suggested! Then he started chasing me like a lunatic.” Theo’s grin stretched impossibly wide and Liam’s heart fluttered. He was falling stupidly in love with the other boy, that was for sure. “I told him it was a brilliant idea. He tried to tickle me and so I started running.” _

_ “Liam.” Jenna laughed softly, the sound warm and soothing. Liam loved the way she smiled and lit up the room. And to see her so happy with Theo? It made him believe that for once in his life, something was going right. Just this once he wasn’t getting the short end of the stick. He couldn’t stop grinning as Theo winked at him across the island, reaching for the container of blueberries in the middle. He tossed a handful in his mouth and Liam knew that tonight, he was going to tell him that he loved him.  _

“...think we’ve lost him again.” Hayden’s voice cut through the fog and Liam jerked in surprise, blinking slowly at her. Relief flooded her expression and she reached over, squeezing his arm. “You with us now?”

“Another memory?” Josh guessed, his voice softer than Liam was expecting. He cleared his throat and glanced down at the soggy remains of cereal in front of him, making a face. It wasn’t like he had much of an appetite anymore. “Come on.” Josh said quietly as he got to his feet. “Time for me to tell you where the transformer is.”

-

Liam was starting to think that bringing Josh along was a terrible idea. Not because he didn’t believe the chimera would be useful but because he was so annoying. Josh was dragging several feet behind them, whining loudly that his feet hurt, that he needed to use the bathroom, anything that he could complain about. It was enough to make Liam grind his teeth in agitation and tug on the chain, satisfied when he heard Josh stumble and swear. “This was a bad idea.” He said, glancing at Hayden briefly. They had already called Mason and the others once Josh had given up the location of the transformer and Scott had insisted that Liam bring him along. No one trusted the chimera and Liam couldn’t blame them. He just wished that he didn’t have to fear Josh running away. 

“It’s not a bad idea.” Hayden sighed. 

“It is a terrible idea.” Josh agreed with him. Liam rolled his eyes and tugged hard on the chain, listening to Josh stumble again and huff out an angry breath. “I told you where the transformer is. I told you how it works. I don’t need to be there when it all blows up.” Again, the scent of fear swirled around him and Liam’s stomach clenched. He slowed to a halt as Hayden rounded on Josh, flashing her eyes at him. 

“It  _ will _ work. It’s not going to blow up. They ride the lightning. We can use that to catch one and keep him there until we figure out what they want.” Hayden snapped. “It’s a good idea.”

“You’re trying to catch a ghost rider.” Josh reminded, taking a half step closer. “A million things can go wrong. It’s a terrible idea.” He repeated, looking at Liam to back him up. 

“Maybe the bad idea was bringing  _ you _ back.” Hayden shot, nostrils flaring as she watched him. 

“Maybe Scott was right.” Liam hung his head. “Maybe this was a mistake.” 

“No.” Hayden sighed in frustration and stepped closer to him. “You took a risk.  _ We _ took a risk. But it was the right thing to do. I believe in you.” She moved forward and wrapped him in a hug, rubbing her hand up his back. “Liam, everything is going to be okay. We’re going to bring Stiles  _ and  _ Theo back. You’re not going to feel so lonely anymore.” She promised, pulling back to press a kiss to his cheek. “Even if no one else understands how important this is to you, I do. Lydia does. So you aren’t alone.”

“Thank you.” Liam smiled weakly at her. It dropped when something small and round hit his cheek and then something else hit his forehead. “What the hell?” He turned to Josh, growling as another pebble was lobbed at his cheek. “What the hell-how did you even get those?”

“I found them.” Josh flashed his trademark smirk and bounced another off Liam’s chest. “Did you two want me to leave you alone to enjoy the moment? Oh right, I can’t.” He lifted his manacled hands and Liam rolled his eyes. 

“Stop being such a baby.” He said as thunder rumbled in the distance. The three of them tensed and Josh shifted closer, biting his lip. “Come on.” Liam said softly as he started to walk again. This time Josh kept pace, only a small step behind the two of them as they walked. It wasn’t long before they reached what looked like an abandoned shack in the middle of the woods. Liam knew there had to be another entrance somewhere, something that led to the sewers. Hayden pushed open the door and stepped inside, a bright smile spreading as she saw the newly completed trap.

“You did it!” She praised, stepping further inside to let Liam and Josh follow.

“Of course I did it.” Mason said, almost scoffing. Liam frowned over at his best friend but the other boy turned away before he could catch his eye. He slowly unshackled Josh, watching the older boy cross the room in confident strides toward a transformer at the other end of the room. He and Mason closely followed, curiosity bringing them to see how it actually worked. Josh glanced back and raised an eyebrow before flipping a single switch, infuriating smirk falling back into place. The transformer began to power up, a gentle hum filling the small space.

“This thing can transmute the energy from a lightning bolt. Even successive strikes.” Josh explained. 

“Mason, you’re sure this is going to work?” Scott asked as he circled back around the cage to look it over again. 

“Well, whatever’s in that cage is shielded from any outside electrical current. So the ghost rider won’t be able to use lightning to escape.” Mason said.

“We put a lightning rod on the roof,” Corey added as he pointed toward the ceiling. “We connected it to that conduit cable drawing the ghost rider to that spot.” He nodded at a metal plate on the ground. 

“We can’t send him directly in because the cage neutralizes electromagnetism. Lightning will just bounce off of it. It’s the same reason it will hold him in.” Mason informed with a proud smile.

“So if the ghost rider lands here, how do we get him in the cage?” Scott frowned as he looked at the distance between the plate and the cage door. 

“We have to lure him in.” Corey admitted with a quiet sigh. 

“Bait?” Scott asked. 

“I’ll do it.” Hayden said immediately. “It’ll be okay.” She shrugged her shoulders weakly and tried to smile at Liam. “I’m faster than you.”

“As soon as she’s out, Scott and Liam will close the gates.” Mason said, demonstrating how to pull them shut. “And then,” he walked to a small table and lifted a sealed jar, “I’ll put down a barrier of mountain ash.”

“I’ll be on the roof to take down the rod.” Corey added.

“And we’ll be on the lookout for any more ghost riders.” Mason said firmly. 

“This is a great plan. It should work, right?” Liam asked with a quick glance at Scott.

“It’s the best idea we have right now.” Scott grinned, looking more and more confident. 

“As long as everything goes perfectly and he doesn’t escape and kill us all.” Josh piped in.

“And your transformer works and the whole place doesn’t catch on fire.” Hayden reminded. 

“And there isn’t a catastrophic solar flare.” Mason said quietly. “There are a lot of risks but…”

“Don’t doubt the plan. Mason, you’re a genius. This is going to work.” Liam took a step closer to high five him but his friend turned away abruptly, turning a dial on a machine on the table. Electricity crackled around the cage, buzzing filling the room, and outside thunder rumbled. “How close is the storm?”

“Should be a couple more hours.” Corey said as he checked his phone. “Maybe even later this evening. We’ve got some time to kill.”

“Maybe we can do a couple of practice runs. Just so we know what we’re doing.” Liam suggested, taking a step closer to Mason. “Hey-”

“Actually I think you should just go home for a little while.” Mason said, turning to face him. Liam frowned in concern as he saw the dark bags under his eyes, the scent of hurt clinging to him. “There’s no point in you being here right now. Any of you.” He added.

“No.” Liam said firmly. “Outside. Now.” The words seemed to jar Mason for a moment. He cast a glance at Corey and then gave a stiff nod, turning and walking out without another word. Liam followed and shut the door so no one could eavesdrop, crossing his arms over his chest. “What’s wrong, Mase? You’re acting weird.”

“How would you know?” The other boy snapped, agitation evident as he rubbed his palms against his thighs. 

“Mason-”

“Why don’t you just go back inside to your new best friend, Hayden?” Liam frowned, tilting his head in confusion as he looked at him.

“You’re my best friend. Did I...did I do something wrong?” He asked softly.

“I don’t even know what’s going on with you anymore!” Mason threw up his hands and started to pace. “These last few weeks...it’s like I don’t know who you are. You don’t want to hang out, you’re spending all of this time whispering with Hayden...I miss my best friend.”

“Mason…” Liam whined softly and took a step closer. “That’s not fair. You know how things have been lately.”

“Yeah, you’ve been struggling. I want to help but it’s hard to do that when you’re avoiding me. Am I the one who did something wrong?” Mason stopped pacing and looked at Liam, his eyes bright and glassy. “Tell me what I’ve done and I’ll fix it.”

“Nothing. You haven’t done anything.” Liam murmured as he closed the gap between them and pulled Mason into a tight hug. “I’m sorry that I’ve left you out. It wasn’t intentional. It hurts seeing you with Corey.” He confessed, digging in with his fingertips against Mason’s back as the human made a soft, wounded noise of protest. “Not because I don’t like him. He’s grown on me. But it’s hard seeing you be with your soulmate when mine is gone. I don’t want you feeling like you can’t be around him though so I’ve just...turned to Hayden instead. It was less complicated. But that doesn’t make it okay.”

“You’re an ass.” Mason sniffled against his shoulder and Liam nodded in agreement.

“The biggest ass. I really owe you for everything I’ve put you through. I’m so sorry.” He apologized sofly, burying his face against Mason’s neck. 

“I forgive you. Just don’t do it again. Let me help you. That’s what best friends are for. I’m sorry I’ve been acting like a brat when you’re suffering.” Mason sighed and squeezed Liam tightly before stepping back. “Best bros?”

“The best.” Liam agreed, grinning and giving him a light fist bump. “Now how about we team up and catch a ghost rider?”

-

Liam felt anxious as they waited in the shadows, watching the conduit cable for any sign of a ghost rider. Hayden was standing in the middle of the room, waiting to draw the ghost rider into their trap. It didn’t take long for the rider to appear and give chase, striding confidently after the werewolf. Hayden made it out of the other side of the cage and Liam darted forward from his hiding spot to secure the door. Hayden stopped just behind him, grinning smugly at the ghost rider from the safety of her side of the fence. The rider turned abruptly and headed for the second exit where Scott was struggling with the gate.

Scott’s eyes widened in horror as the ghost rider stepped closer, halfway out of the gate. “Move!” Josh snarled as he sprang from where he’d been waiting, shouldering Scott roughly as he grabbed the second gate. Together the pair began to force them shut, closing the gap inch by inch. The rider reached out and grabbed Josh, dragging him halfway into the trap. “Keep closing it!” He told Scott as the alpha took pause. He continued to drag the gate shut, crying out in pain as his shoulder crunched painfully between the metal. Liam growled and hurried around to help, dragging Josh out of harm’s way and holding him back as Scott roared at the ghost rider and finally shut the gate. “You...you saved me.” Josh whispered, staring at Liam in surprise as he clutched his slowly healing shoulder.

“Guess I did.” Liam hummed, his gaze still focused on the trapped rider. Mason hurried to spread the mountain ash on the floor and then raced outside at Scott’s command, going to help Corey take down the lightning rod on the roof. The rider watched them in silence, reaching for an empty holster. Scott held up the gun he’d taken and the rider lifted a hand, calling down lightning. Liam watched it come down the conduit line and then bounce off the cage harmlessly, electricity crackling over the chain linked fence. 

“So what do we do now?” Josh asked softly. 

“Try and talk to him.” Scott suggested as he stepped back onto the other side of Josh, still watching their captive. 

“Mr. Ghost Rider?” Liam tried, taking a hesitant step forward. He could feel the eyes of Josh and Scott boring into the side of his head as he tried again. “Mr. Rider? We’ll let you out if you tell us how to get our friends back.”

“Everyone. We want everyone back.” Scott corrected. 

“Tell us how to get ‘em all back.” Liam took another step, desperation coloring his tone. “Stiles. Theo. My mom. How do I get them back?” His eyes flashed gold but only silence answered him.

“This? This is your big plan?” Josh scoffed. 

“There wasn’t a plan for this part of the plan.” Liam growled in annoyance. 

“It’s okay.” Scott held out his hands in a peaceful gesture. “We’ve got him trapped. He can’t get out. We just have to figure out how to communicate with him. Maybe he can’t hear us.” He suggested, glancing back at Josh for a moment. Hayden crept behind them and slipped out the door, presumably headed to help Corey and Mason.

“Or maybe he speaks an ancient language.” Liam said glumly. Why hadn’t he paid more attention in Spanish? Why had he decided not to take Latin until his senior year?

“Maybe he only responds to pain.” Josh slowly moved closer, his head tilted in curiosity.

“Or fear.” Liam added.

“Nothing’s gonna scare this thing. Look at him.” Josh frowned. “He’s a walking corpse.”

“Something’s wrong.” Liam glanced over at Scott. “Why did he stop trying to get out?” As soon as he asked, the ghost rider seemed to take a breath and an eerie howl emitted from his throat. 

“Did he just call for backup?” Josh asked as the noise came to an end, the ghost rider staring at them blankly.

“When Corey made the ghost rider visible at the party, another one showed up.” Liam breathed out. Thunder rumbled ominously outside and a shiver crept down his spine. 

“We need to find a way to communicate with him and fast.” Scott said, throwing an anxious look toward the door. Liam pulled out his phone and texted an update to Hayden, chewing on his lip as he waited for some kind of answer.

“So what if we can’t get him to talk?” Josh asked quietly. “Has anyone even considered that’s a possibility?”

“Of course we have.” Scott’s jaw tensed. “We’ll find a way to communicate. I don’t care how long it takes. We’re doing this for Stiles.” He paused, just a moment too long, but it was enough. Liam’s gaze snapped to him in shock, his breath quickening.

“Not. Just. Stiles.” Liam hissed, fangs dropping into his mouth. “Why the fuck doesn’t anyone else care that I’m looking for Theo? Why do you keep forgetting?” He rounded on Scott fully, his eyes flashing brilliant gold. 

“Because I don’t remember him.” Scott answered after a pause, making Liam feel as though he’d been punched. “I have memories of Stiles. I’m not trying to forget about you or him, Liam. I’m not trying to leave you out. He just…”

“What? Isn’t your priority?” Liam spat out. He clenched his fists, feeling the bite of his claws drawing blood. Scott’s eyes flashed red in warning and he snarled, lip curling back. “It’s like I’m the only one that wants to save both of them. Theo could be dead right now!” He roared, taking a step forward. 

“Liam. Stand down.” Scott warned as he eyed his beta. “Do you really want to do this again?”

“Hey,” Josh stepped between the pair and stood chest to chest with Liam. “You don’t want this fight right now, Liam. Trust me. Theo wouldn’t want you to fight Scott, not for him. If he was here, he’d call you an idiot so I guess I’ll do it for him. He wouldn’t care if you were the only person fighting for him. He’d want you to work together and make sure everyone gets brought back. Even if he’s dead.” He pressed as Liam flinched. “Yeah, it hurts to hear that. I get it. But you’ve got to chill out right now. Getting pissed isn’t helping anyone. It’s a waste of your energy. Right now, we’ve got to figure out a way to talk to the ghost rider so we can get your friends back. So you need to calm the fuck down before I have to knock you out again.”

Liam swallowed hard and took a deep breath, stepping back and hanging his head. He took a moment to pull himself together before heading for the door, pausing in the doorway. “I need to clear my head.” He said quietly before stepping outside and letting the door fall shut. He knew it was pointless to go far so he chose to walk laps around the building, hoping the movement would be enough of a distraction. On his fifth lap, Josh crossed his path and silently fell into step beside of him. They walked two more before Liam finally stopped and looked at the other teenager. “Why do you keep helping me?” He asked softly.

“Because I know what you’re going through, at least a little.” Josh shrugged lightly and tipped his head back to stare up at the sky. “Her name was Madison.” He said, barely above a whisper. Liam didn’t have to ask to know he was talking about his soulmate. He remembered seeing the faded white ink on his wrist. He’d asked once but Josh had simply shrugged and said he’d never met her. It was just another lie. “I was fifteen when I met her. Didn’t know it at the time but…” he exhaled softly and looked at Liam. “They experimented on her. Something called a Korrigan, I think. She had wings when they were done with her. They were beautiful.” Josh shuddered slightly and turned his head away but Liam had already glimpsed his tearful eyes. “She was just another failure in the end. They ripped out her wings and stuck a needle in her neck. I was there when she died, holding her. I didn’t even know her name. Not until I felt the pain in my wrist as she drew her last breath. I watched her name fade as her body turned cold. She was the only one I ever buried.” 

“Josh…” Liam didn’t know what to tell him. He knew every word from the chimera was genuine this time, he didn’t need his enhanced senses to see the pain that the other boy was in. 

“I hear Parrish coming.” Josh cleared his throat and offered Liam a smirk, his mask falling back into place. It was chipped at the edges, the skin tight at his eyes, but Liam didn’t call him on it. “Come on, let’s get back inside before Scott thinks I’ve killed his poor little beta.”

“Jerk.” Liam grinned weakly and followed him back inside. He averted his gaze as he felt Scott’s eyes on him, focusing his attention on the door. Deputy Parrish walked in confidently just a moment later, looking at the cage.

“Mason called. He thought I could help.” He told Scott as he stepped closer to the cage. He stopped just behind the barrier of mountain ash, watching as the ghost rider took a slow step forward.

“That’s progress.” Josh said quietly, sounding impressed.

“Ask him how we get everyone back.” Liam urged. 

“Tell us how we get everyone back.” Parrish demanded, eyeing the ghost rider. Its head tilted slightly and another eerie chittering noise escaped, this time softer in volume. Was it actually trying to talk to Parrish? Was it even possible?

“What was that?” Liam asked.

“Did he say something?” Scott chimed in.

“He said hellhound.” 

“Does that mean something?” Josh frowned. “Is that a good thing?”

“Ask him again.” Scott said.

“What do you want from us?” Parrish tried a different tactic, glancing back at the teenagers and then the ghost rider.

“We are the Wild Hunt. We hunt forever. Those who hunt with us hunt forever.” A strange voice echoed around the room, monotonous in a way that chilled Liam to the bone.

“What does that mean?” He asked, taking a step closer. Was Theo in even worse danger than he’d imagined? Were the ones that had been taken by the hunt already dead? Or worse - were they completely gone? The idea of losing Theo forever sent his heart racing full speed. A low whine escaped him and Josh shifted closer, lightly touching his elbow.

“Tell us what you want.” Parrish repeated. The ghost rider repeated himself and Josh scoffed.

“Well that sure as hell clarifies thing.”

“Do you want something from us?” Scott asked. The ghost rider gave him his full attention and Josh muttered something about him realizing he was the alpha. “There must be something you want.” Scott pleaded.

“There is only the hunt. No one resists. No one escapes.” The rider hissed. Liam deflated and looked at Scott, his chest aching. If no one could escape then what hope did anyone have?

“If we can’t reason with him then we’ll have to fight him.” Scott said firmly. “We’re bringing our friends back. I’m coming for them. I’m coming for everyone. I won’t stop until we get them all out.” He warned the ghost rider. The same haunting noise drifted from the rider and Parrish froze in place, listening as though he were being given orders. 

“Scott…” Josh warned just as Parrish’s clothes began to burn. They slowly fell away in bits of ash and dust, fire engulfing the hellhound as he stepped closer to the barrier and began to break it. “What is he doing?”

“He’s going to set him free.” Scott whispered in disbelief. “Parrish, Parrish stop.” He and Liam hurried forward and grabbed him by the arms, stepping in front of him to push him back. Josh moved forward to touch him and the deputy snarled, his skin burning from the contact. He tossed Josh aside as though he were nothing and started for the barrier again. “Liam! On three!” He ordered, darting around him and grabbing hold of Parrish by the arm again. Liam joined him and together they dragged Parrish toward the door, forcing him outside. “We have to get him as far as possible!” Scott yelled as Parrish snarled, bright orange eyes focused on Scott. He struggled against them and Liam nodded, digging his heels in. Slowly but surely they began to push him further from the abandoned building and deeper into the forest. It wasn’t long before Liam stumbled and finally let go, his bloodied and mottled hands hitting the ground in a weak attempt to prevent his fall. Scott hit his knees beside him, looking to be in less than ideal shape. 

Parrish shuddered and turned around, his skin slowly returning to normal as the fire in his eyes died. “Don’t follow me.” He warned before he started to run, leaving the pair on their own. Liam groaned and rolled onto his side, holding his trembling hands in the air as smoke wafted from his burned flesh.

“Fuck.” He hissed and clenched his teeth, unable to fight the tears that began rolling down his cheeks. “Scott we lost. We’re not any closer to an answer and we’ve lost.” He sniffed and closed his eyes, shuddering.

“No we haven’t. We aren’t giving up. Peter escaped. We know it’s possible.” Scott attempted to console, sitting down on the ground beside him. 

“Peter is a werewolf and it nearly killed him. You said yourself that he was in awful shape and nearly dead when you found him. What if there’s no way out for them?”

“Then we go into the hunt and we find a way. But we aren’t giving up.” Scott gently squeezed his arm and began stealing his pain. Liam swallowed, opening his eyes to look up at his alpha.

“I’m sorry about before. About everything-”

“It’s not your fault. You’ve been struggling and I haven’t tried to help. You’re right. I’ve been too focused on just bringing Stiles back. We need to find everyone.” Scott offered his hand and Liam took it, relieved to see most of his burns were already healed. Together they stood and began to short trek back to the cabin. Outside, the scent of blood drifted through the open door and Liam swore through his teeth. They rushed inside, Mason and Hayden coming from nowhere and following them back in. The ghost rider was dead on the floor in his cage, the back of his head bloodied. Across the room, Josh was slumped against the transformer. Liam joined Scott inside the cage to examine the dead ghost rider, a sick feeling at the bottom of his stomach. A wet cough from Josh drew his attention and he walked out of the cage as Hayden stormed over and hauled him onto his feet.

“What did you do?” She hissed. 

“It was-it was Mr. Douglas.” Josh stammered out, wincing as Hayden shoved him against the transformer in response. “He ate his brain.” Josh’s voice trembled and the thick scent of fear coated the room.

“Scott was right.” Hayden said softly. “Liam, we were wrong. It’s time to send him back.” She looked at him imploringly and he came to a halt in front of Josh, his gaze searching.

“Did you tell me the truth about Madison?” He asked quietly.

“What-of course I did.” Josh coughed weakly, blood trickling from his lips. “I didn’t do this to myself, Liam. You have to believe me. Please.”

“It wasn’t his brain.” Scott spoke up. “It was his pineal gland.”

“It couldn’t have been Josh.” Mason defended. “These murders have been going on for weeks since before Liam brought him back.” Liam nodded and turned away from Josh, walking back over to the corpse of the ghost rider. His brow furrowed as he looked him over again and then around the room.

“Guys? His whip is gone.” He informed. Every eye in the room slowly turned to him, all of their hearts picking up the pace. “Mason...where’s Corey?” The silence that answered him was deafening. Another friend was gone. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam continues to lose the people he cares about.

“Theo! Dammit, no. You are not going to be selfish and die and leave me alone here!” Stiles shouted, shaking him by the shoulders. He remembered a piece of advice from a movie he’d seen and he lifted his hand, striking Theo across the cheek. The other boy’s eyes flew open and he wheezed, reaching up and catching Stiles by the wrist.

“What the fuck is your problem?” Theo groaned, slowly sitting up. “I was having a fantastic nap and I was even dreaming of Liam and-” he stopped, squinting suspiciously at his friend. “Why are you crying right now?”

“Dude. Your pulse, your heart just stopped and...I thought you were dead!” Stiles smacked his shoulder and Theo gave him his best bitch face.

“Yeah, it does that. It’s called having a heart condition, dickwad.” Theo said dryly. His expression softened as he watched Stiles take a deep breath and try to collect himself. “Sorry.” He said quietly, hanging his head. “Not everyone is used to it like me. You okay?”

“You gave me a heart attack. When we get out of this, you’re buying me dinner. For a week.” Stiles declared, giving him a reassuring grin. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“I really am. Promise.” Theo said gently. “But thanks for wanting to be sure. Was I out for long?”

“A couple of hours maybe? It’s hard to tell in this place.” Stiles replied. “Theo, you should know...I got a chance to talk to the others. Scott, Lydia, and Liam.” 

“And,,,?” Theo swallowed thickly, feeling his throat constrict. Did Liam even remember him? What if they had no idea who they were? 

“He asked about you. He remembered you’re his anchor.” Stiles smiled gently. “They’re coming for us. Soon.” He got the impression that there was something he wasn’t being told but he didn’t care. Liam knew who he was. Liam was coming for him. Everything would be okay as long as he got to be back in his arms. It was the one place he felt safe and completely at home.

“Thank god.” Theo laughed weakly, tears springing to his eyes. He let them fall without care, relief swelling inside of him. “You think we can really make it out of here?”

“Peter did. And you’ve got me to help find a way out. Making plans is what I’m good at.” Stiles beamed and Theo nodded, believing him. He’d seen the ways Stiles’ mind worked when he was caught in a bind. The other was creative and terrifying all at once, a true force to be reckoned with in a crisis like this. Theo didn’t feel so hopeless with Stiles at his side. And with Liam and Scott and Lydia on the way? There was nothing more to fear.

-

“What do we do now?” Liam asked Scott as they reconvened at the alpha’s house. They’d spent the last three hours of the night coming the woods for any trace of Corey and nothing had turned up. Hayden had taken Mason home and promised to stay with him while everyone else had kept searching. Scott had been forced to call it off when they’d found no trace of Corey’s scent or anything to suggest where the chimera might have gone. 

“I think we should take a few hours and come back with fresh eyes.” Scott rubbed his hand over his face and sighed wearily. “I need a nap and a shower and I’m sure everyone feels the same. We can meet back up in the sheriff’s station after lunch and see what comes up. Right now, I think we need a break.”

“But-” Liam clenched his teeth and took a deep breath, forcing himself to nod. “Fine.”

“We aren’t giving up. But if we keep going like this, we’re going to burn out. Josh still hasn’t healed all the way and you’re just as exhausted as me. We take a break and we come back.” Scott explained gently. 

“I know you’re right.” Liam exhaled slowly and rolled his neck, cracking it. “I just want to find them now.” He knew Scott felt the same. It was just hard to stop when it felt like they were back at square one. “I’ll take Josh back to my place. We’ll meet you at noon.” He said, glancing at the chimera who was half-asleep on the couch. They’d brought him back and bandaged him but the healing was taking a long time. He walked over and gently shook the chimera, hating the way his eyes flew open in alarm and his breathing quickened. “Hey. Let’s get you to a real bed, yeah?” He asked gently.

“Thank fuck,” Josh muttered. He slowly stood and grimaced, shuffling slowly toward the door. By the time they reached Liam’s car, he was swaying on his feet and struggling to keep himself upright. Liam’s face pinched in worry as he unlocked the car and helped Josh get in. That fear only grew when Josh didn’t protest, only muttered a thanks and leaned into the door after Liam shut it.

“Why aren’t you healing?” He asked as he started the car, easing out of Scott’s driveway. 

“Douglas isn’t your ordinary supernatural.” Josh muttered. “Right now, I just need to sleep. You going to chain me up and make me sleep in a chair again?”

“I wasn’t conscious for that, dick.” Liam snorted softly. “You going to run if I don’t?”

“Where the fuck would I go?” He laughed humorlessly and it morphed into a low groan. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ve got nowhere to run and believe it or not, I’m actually interested in helping. I’m not going anywhere. Not yet, at least.” Liam appreciated the honesty. The remainder of the drive was silent, Josh falling asleep shortly after he stopped talking. It took fifteen minutes for him to drag the chimera into his house and upstairs once they’d arrived but the peaceful look on Josh’s face drained the annoyance from him as the chimera fell asleep on his stomach. Liam eased the door shut and headed down to the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge until he decided to give up and just eat some toast. As he slipped it in the toaster and grabbed the butter from the fridge, he leaned back against the kitchen island and closed his eyes.

_ “Liam, sweetie, could you pass the butter?” Jenna asked as she sat down at the dinner table and finally joined them. Nodding, he grabbed the small container and passed it over. “Thanks. So Josh, I heard you’re in Theo’s grade?” She turned her attention to their dinner guests and Josh smiled widely, nodding his head. _

_ “Yes ma’am. I’m pretty new to the area but everyone’s been so nice. Liam and Theo especially.”  _

_ “I’m glad to hear it. When did you say your parents were getting back from their trip to Mexico? I’d love to have them over for dinner.” She offered. _

_ “Should be at the end of the month. But don’t worry, I’ve gotten used to doing some things on my own. I really don’t mind and my aunt calls in and checks on me.” Josh assured. _

_ “Jenna, dinner is amazing as always.” Theo spoke up, smiling warmly at the blonde. “You’ve really outdone yourself this time.” _

_ “Oh Liam, I like him.” Jenna laughed, her eyes twinking. “You’re a keeper, that’s for sure.” _

_ “Mom.” Liam hissed, his cheeks flushing bright red. Theo and Josh shared a knowing smirk, turning to grin in unison. He hated his friends sometimes. His mom had figured out quickly that Theo was his soulmate and she’d been pushing for the past month for Liam to man up and ask him on a date. Liam knew he would eventually but he and Theo had already talked about it. He understood that Liam wanted to wait until they’d found who was creating the chimeras and killing them just as quickly.  _

_ A phone alarm snapped Liam from his thoughts and he looked over at Theo, lifting an eyebrow. “Medicine time.” Theo sighed and smiled apologetically at Jenna. “Sorry. I think I left my pills upstairs-” _

_ “Don’t worry, I can go get them.” Josh said, already getting to his feet. “You should rest and enjoy dinner. They in your bookbag?” He asked, setting his hand on Theo’s shoulder and squeezing gently.  _

_ “Yeah. You sure you don’t mind?” Theo asked. _

_ “Not at all. You shouldn’t have to keep going up and down stairs, you’ll only wear yourself out more. I don’t mind.” Josh promised before leaving the kitchen.  _

_ “Liam, you have such wonderful friends. I really like this one.” Jenna smiled warmly at her son and reached over to squeeze his hand. “Now why don’t you boys tell me about how school is going? I heard there’s a girl named Tracy who has gone missing…” _

Liam shuddered and shook himself from the memory, digging his nails into the counter behind him. He bit back tears and grabbed the now cold toast from the toaster, eating it plainly and leaving the butter sitting on the counter. He dragged himself upstairs to his room and flopped onto his bed with a low groan, burying his face into his pillow. Maybe Scott was right. A couple of hours of sleep might actually do some good. If he was lucky, maybe he would dream of Theo and actually hold onto one of his memories. 

After waking a few hours later and showering, he took the time to check in on Josh. The chimera was still soundly sleeping and Liam decided to let him sleep a little longer. He could use the time to walk down the street and check in on Connie, see how she was holding up. He left a note on the nightstand in case Josh woke up and he walked out, locking the front door before jogging down the driveway. There was a slight chill in the air that made Liam wonder if it was like this wherever Theo was. Frowning at the troublesome thought, he walked up the driveway and knocked gently on the Raeken door. It swung open a moment later, Connie’s eyes widening in surprise as she saw him.

“Liam! Oh, come in. How are you?” She asked as she stepped aside and ushered him in. “It’s so good to see you. Are you hungry? I was making some blueberry muffins earlier and I put some aside. I must have known you were coming.” She laughed and led him into the kitchen, going straight to the sink. “They’re wrapped on top of the counter for you.”

“Actually, Mrs. Raeken, I just came to check on you. The other day you were pretty upset.” Liam said hesitantly as he watched her start scrubbing dishes. He wished he could tell her everything and have her understand what was going on. But where would he even begin? How could you possibly explain to someone that they had a son they couldn’t remember who had been missing for weeks, possibly months? It felt too bizarre to try and tell someone. Surely she would laugh or maybe she would call him crazy and tell him to go to Eichen House. There was no way he could tell her. He’d already seen what it was like with the Stilinski family. How could he put someone else through that?

“I’m fine, dear. I came home after we talked and Tara made me a nice cup of tea. We talked about it and I think it was just stress from work talking, that’s all.” She turned and smiled gently at him. “I’ve just been working too hard, dear. That’s all.” 

“Maybe you’re right.” Liam swallowed back bile and nodded weakly. “Do you mind if I use your bathroom?” He asked, forcing himself to take a deep breath so he wasn’t sick.

“You’ll have to use the one upstairs. We’re renovating the one down here and so the water to it’s been disconnected already.” She said. Liam nodded and took the stairs two at a time, locking himself in the bathroom. He leaned his forehead against the cool wood of the door and slowly slid to the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees as he drew them to his chest.

“Theo, please.” He whined softly and screwed his eyes shut. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. You aren’t here and I don’t know how to fix that. I can’t remember you half as well as I should. Your mom made muffins and I’m sure they’re your favorite but I don’t know. What am I supposed to do right now?” He whispered. “I know I’m missing you but I still don’t have all of the pieces. I don’t know what any of this means. I just want you back.” He swallowed hard, leaning his head back against the door. 

It felt like he’d been sitting there for ages before he finally managed to get back to his feet. Grim determination set on his face as he looked in the mirror, gritting his teeth. He was going to find Theo, even if it meant facing death.There was no other choice. He had to bring the other boy back and if he couldn’t bring him out then he’d join the hunt. He wasn’t going to let Theo slip away and be lost forever. That simply wasn’t an option.

“I’m coming for you, Theo. I promise.” He whispered. He reached for the light switch and started to turn his head but a small bottle caught his attention. Frowning, he reached for it and slowly turned it up toward the light. The small orange container held a brand new refill of small white pills. Something nudged Liam into action and he rotated the small bottle, scanning the label briefly. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the name, breath hitching in disbelief.  _ Theodore Raeken _ .

-

The drive to the sheriff’s station was quiet. Josh still hadn’t fully healed but he’d assured Liam he was fine enough for a drive downtown. Liam hadn’t shown him the pill bottle but kept it tucked away inside of his jeans, silently praying he could figure out how to get them to Theo. When he arrived at the station he was surprised to see that most of the squad cars were there but there was only a single heartbeat inside the building. He spotted Lydia’s car across the parking lot and led Josh inside, smiling weakly at the girl sitting on one of the desks. “Hey.” He greeted softly.

“Thank god you got here early. I have things to talk to you abou…” Lydia trailed off as she looked at Josh, doing a quick double take. “Huh. Malia told me you were back.” She said before focusing on Liam again. “I think the sheriff conjured up Claudia to fill the void of his missing son.” She said before launching into an explanation of everything that had happened in Canaan. Apparently a banshee named Lenore had been the sole survivor of an attack by the ghost riders. They’d wiped out the town and then left her all alone and she’d conjured up her dead son to fill the gaping holes surrounding her. She finished the story by explaining how she’d visited the Stilinski house and found remnants of Stiles in his room, pleading with the sheriff until she’d finally thrown a lacrosse jersey to him and he’d believed her. Maybe not that his wife was conjured from beyond the grave but he was slowly believing that Stiles really was his son. It was progress.

“I found something this morning.” Liam said softly to her and he dug his fingers into his pocket, pulling out the bottle of medicine. “It’s Theo’s. This is for his heart condition.” He murmured. “I was visiting his mom this morning and I found it in the bathroom. It was like it just appeared. And with what you’re saying about Lenore…” he bit down on his lip and leaned closer. “What if that’s what Tara is for the Raeken’s? What if she’s filling the hole left by him in their lives? I went to where she fell and broke her leg when she was a kid. There was no way she would have survived on her own. And if Theo was this sick as a child, he couldn’t have possibly dragged her from the water. Maybe she isn’t real either.”

“Keep digging into it.” Lydia said, sliding her hand over his and squeezing lightly. “We’re not giving up on them. The pills are a good sign, Liam. Maybe if we can remember hard enough, we can bring everything back. Maybe that’s how we’ll win this.” She suggested. Liam grinned in response and nodded, turning his head as the front door opened. Scott walked into the room with Peter and Malia on his heels. Scott’s face was lined with exhaustion and it was evident that he hadn’t gotten any sleep.

“What’s wrong?” Liam asked, shifting around to face his alpha. “Has something else happened?” He’d checked in with Hayden and Mason so he knew nothing was wrong there.

“I have a plan.” Scott said softly, sighing as he looked around the room. “But it’s risky. I don’t even know if it will work.” He leaned down on one of the desks for a moment and then stepped away to stand in front of Lydia. “I’m going to give Stiles the bite.”

“You’re going to bite Stiles?” She asked quietly. 

“To get him through the rift.” Scott answered before letting out a heavy sigh. He walked over to the desk where Liam was and came around it, standing beside him and bracing his palms against the wood. “”It’s the only way.”

“Just to clarify,” Peter spoke up. “Are you planning on biting everyone in the train station?”

“With Stiles back, he’ll be able to help us figure out a plan.” Scott swallowed thickly and looked sideways at Liam. “I know you want me to-”

“No.” Liam interrupted softly as he shook his head. “No. I don’t want you to bite Theo. He...he wouldn’t survive it.” The words stuck to the back of his throat and he looked away, shakily taking a breath. 

“Stiles is good at making plans.” Malia said, a faint tremor in her voice.

“So your plan is to get Stiles to bring him back to come up with a plan?” Peter asked, shaking his head as he eyed the true alpha. “That’s insane.”

“You can shut up now.” Malia huffed in agitation.

“Malia, look around. We’re the only ones left in Beacon Hills. If they take us, Lydia will be the only one left to haunt the place.” He pointed it, ignoring the daggers coming from the banshee’s narrowed eyes. 

“That’s why I’m the only person that’s going on. Liam and Hayden will stay here with Mason. As long as somebody is left in Beacon Hills, the Wild Hunt can’t move on.” Scott said, his voice gaining a little more confidence. 

“I like your plan, Scott. I really do, especially the part about turning Stiles.” Peter smirked slightly and Liam wondered what the story was there. Had Stiles been offered the bite before? Had Peter targeted him the way he’d done Scott? “But it can’t work,” Peter continued as he paced the room and then came to a halt.

“How do you know?” Malia asked her father.

“Logic. Life experience. Liam, what are the odds he’ll get taken?” He gestured at the beta. “What if Stiles isn’t there? What if there’s no Beacon Hills for you to come back to?” 

“You got a better idea?” Liam asked, his voice rough and low. 

“Yeah. It’s called run like hell.” Peter replied, his voice rising in pitch. “So we leave in five?” He asked, tilting his head a few degrees as he watched his daughter.

“You promised you’d help us.” Malia spoke softly as she stepped closer to her father. “We still need to find the rift.”

“I didn’t promise I’d help you commit suicide.” Peter whispered. 

“If you can’t help, we can find it ourselves.” Scott cut in sharply, an edge of desperation in his voice. 

“Scott. I admit that you have a flair for beating the odds. But, this? You don’t walk away from. You run.” Peter turned on his heel and strolled out the door, not looking back as he made his way across the parking lot. Malia stood frozen in place, watching her father walk away. 

“What do you want us to do while you’re gone?” Liam asked Scott, drawing his attention back to the plan.

“I think you, Hayden, and Mason should camp out here. We’ll put Josh in one of the cells until we know what to do with him. Lydia, Malia, and I can go and look for the rift that Peter came through. If we find it then I’ll go through with my end of the plan.”

“You really think you can make it through?” Liam whispered, his lips quivering slightly. 

“I’m not sure. But I have to try.” Scott told him. “Liam...you know I’d bite Theo if I thought he could survive it, right?”

“I know. I’m not mad about that. Really.” He smiled weakly at his alpha. “I don’t think he’d make it either. It’s a risk I’m not willing to take.” He said honestly. There was too strong of a chance that the bite alone would be too much of a shock for Theo’s heart to take, even with proper warning and preparation. 

“As soon as I bring Stiles back, we’ll find a way to bring Theo back and the rest of the town. I promise.” Scott firmly squeezed his shoulder and Liam nodded, forcing a smile. His alpha seemed to buy it and he turned away to consult Lydia and Malia, leaving Liam to his thoughts. He walked over to Josh and sat beside him on the bench, wordlessly leaning against the wall and lightly pressing their shoulders together. Josh let out a small hum in response and mirrored Liam, his eyes shutting again as he tried to fall back asleep.

Within the hour Hayden and Mason had arrived, leaving Liam in charge. Scott had made sure that Josh was locked in a holding cell before departing, promising to keep the younger members of the pack updated on how everything went. Liam felt sick again as he looked at Josh sitting in the holding cell, slouched back against the wall. He and Mason were sitting in chairs along the far wall, Hayden standing to look out the window just above them. 

“How are you holding up?” Liam asked Mason, scanning his best friend’s profile. The smell of salt from his tears cling to his skin and there were bags under his eyes, darker than he’d ever seen. He hated that Mason was going through the same thing as him. He didn’t want it for anyone, not his best friend or even his worst enemy. 

“I don’t know how you do it.” Mason muttered, turning to meet his gaze. “Corey means everything to me and now he’s gone.” He turned his wrist, staring down at the bare skin where his name was supposed to be. “But I still remember him. Why? Why can we remember some of the people we’re losing and not all of them?” 

“Maybe because we’re all marked as next. If we’re really the last few people left in Beacon Hills...what’s the point of erasing everyone’s existence?” Liam offered a half shrug. “I don’t know. A lot of things don’t make sense. How did they get inside Parrish’s head to try and free one of them last night? Why do Scott, Lydia, and Malia keep good of their memories of Stiles as they discover them and I keep losing mine? I don’t have any answers. But I promise that we’ll bring Corey back.” He squeezed Mason’s hand tightly, lacing their fingers together. 

“He’s not as strong as you guys. Chimeras don’t heal as quickly. If he comes back through the barrier with Scott...it could kill him. Liam, he could be dying.” Tears welled in his eyes and Liam tugged him in for a hug, rubbing a hand against his back. 

“I’ll be right back.” Hayden murmured quietly, slipping from the room to give them a moment of privacy. Liam smiled gratefully at her retreating back and gave Mason his undivided attention. 

“Do you think it would help if Scott bit him like he did Hayden? Maybe he can turn Corey into a werewolf.” He suggested softly. 

“But Scott’s already gone. For all we know, he’s on his way to bringing Stiles back.” Mason pulled back to look at Liam in confusion. “Li...what are you planning to do?” He asked, his voice heavy. 

“Theo needs his heart medicine.” Liam eased the bottle from his pocket and showed it to Mason. “I’m going into the hunt to give it to him. Even if I can’t bring him out yet, I have to try. He’s dying and it’s already been a few days since we found out he only had a few pills left. I have to try.” He whispered. 

“I can’t believe you’re my best friend and you’re so thick headed.” Mason sighed. “Throwing yourself into the hunt isn’t going to do anything. I want to do it too but this is crazy. What happens if you don’t end up in the same place as Theo? And didn’t Peter mention that everyone in there was kind of zoned out? Who says you’re even conscious of what’s going on around you? That’s a dumb idea.” Liam closed his eyes and started to hang his head but Mason grabbed his shoulder. “Lucky for you I’ve got a better one. Come on.” He took Liam by the wrist and pulled him to his feet, leading him out into the main room. “Help me out.” He said as he started to rifle through drawers at one of the desks. “I need evidence baggies. At least four.”

“Mason, you’re a genius.” Liam grinned and began helping him look. It took a few minutes but they finally found them sealed in an officer’s desk, protected from any contamination. Liam quickly grabbed a few and Mason joined him, holding out his hand for the bottle. He divided the pills up evenly, leaving a few in the bottle just in case, and handed one bag to his best friend, grinning. “Always coming through with the plan.”

“I’m just smarter than you. We all know this.” Mason beamed with pride. Together they walked back to the holding cell and handed Hayden a bag, explaining that they were for Theo in the event any of them were taken by the Wild Hunt. He slowly picked up the sword that had been sitting under his chair, rotating the handle between his palms. He hadn’t wanted to keep carrying it around but Scott had made him promise and he couldn’t let his alpha down. With a grimace he sat down and glanced over at Hayden who was peering through the blinds of the door. She turned away from it after a moment and walked closer, her eyes falling on Liam. 

“So we should stay here. Is that what you’re thinking?”

“It doesn’t matter where we are.” Liam admitted with a small sigh. He flexed his grip on the sword between his hands. “We still need to figure out how to fight them.”

“No one can fight them.” Hayden said grimly. 

“Douglas can.” Josh reminded from across the room. 

“Does he need to stay in there?” Mason asked, leaning forward to study Josh. Liam opened his mouth to say otherwise but Hayden beat him to it. 

“He’s still Josh.”

“Josh saved Scott, remember?” Josh called out as he moved closer, gripping the bars of his cell and leaning into them. 

“He can still hear you.” Mason informed Hayden. Liam’s lips twitched into a small grin as he glanced at his best friend. 

“Then he can hear me say he needs to shut up!” Hayden called, unnecessarily raising her voice. Mason coughed to try and cover a laugh as Josh rolled his eyes. “So we can figure out how to fight the ghost riders.” She continued, chewing her lip. 

“We don’t need to figure it out. Are you really that stupid?” Josh scoffed and Liam looked up slowly, his eyes widening. 

“We don’t need to because Douglas already did.” He said softly. 

“If he knew how to fight them then he might know everything about them.” Hayden whispered, the knowledge slowly sinking in. 

“And guess who knows all about Mr. Douglas?” Josh smirked. “Guess you need me after all.” He said as all eyes turned to him. Mason stood and crossed over to him, standing a couple of feet away. 

“And you’ll tell us, right? Because you want to help?”

“I already told Liam, my help comes with a price. I’m not an idiot.” Josh clicked his tongue. “Am I, Dunbar?” 

“What do you want?” Liam asked warily. 

“Break the sword. Break it and I’ll tell you everything you want to know. I’ll even help you track him down if I have to.” Josh said, glancing at Liam. “But I’m not saying anything else until you do.”

“We’re not making that deal.” Mason said immediately, disbelief coloring his tone. Josh slowly backed up and sat on the bench, looking up at Mason slowly. 

“I’m the one holding all the cards.” He reminded as he leaned his elbows onto his knees. 

“You’re locked in a jail cell.” Mason let his gaze sweep over the bars. “You have no cards.” He said as Hayden walked over to join him, squinting in at Josh. 

“You want me to tell you about Douglas.” Josh murmured, his voice silken and low. Liam recognised that tone. It was the one he used to get people to do his bidding, no matter the cost. Discomfort twisted in his gut as he watched the exchange, his thoughts racing. “Break the sword.” Josh said again. Liam slowly got to his feet, looking down at the sword as he considered his options. 

“Does anyone else want to do the negotiating?” Mason asked, stepping back and spinning around to face Liam. 

“Break the sword.” Josh repeated, suppressing a smirk as he met Liam’s gaze. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing. Liam wanted to simultaneously laugh and punch him at the same time. Josh had always been clever, it was one of many strengths as a master manipulator. 

“I’ll break the sword.” Hayden cut in, surprising everyone. “I’ll break the sword right in-“

“Hayden.” Liam cut her off in exasperation, slowly walking closer to the cell. He stepped in the middle of his friends and shared a look with each of them before glancing at Josh. 

“You break, I talk.” Josh murmured. From the look on his face, Liam knew he meant more than Mr. Douglas. That was low, withholding information on Theo. It made him frown at the other boy and slowly narrow his gaze. “Look guys.” Josh got to his feet and slowly ambled closer, sighing heavily. “I don’t want in anyone’s pack. I don’t want anyone’s power.” His gaze flicked briefly to Mason and if Liam didn’t know he were incapable, he would swear there was a flicker of remorse. “I just want to stay alive.”

“How do we know if we let you out, you won’t run?” Hayden asked, shifting restlessly. 

“Because we’re not letting him out.” Liam said slowly. “He’s going to tell us from in here.” Maybe that would teach him not to play with people’s emotions. Josh blew out a frustrated breath through his nostrils and tipped his head slightly. 

“I’m still going to need some incentive.” He said, eyeing the sword in Liam’s hands. Liam turned away and took a few steps, drawing the sword carefully from its sheath. The sword hummed with raw power and Liam could hear the uneven thud of Josh’s heart, feel the spike of fear in the room. He turned and slowly held the sword to the ground, letting it away an inch above for a moment. Josh’s breath hitched and he turned the handle, watching the sword break into pieces and scatter on the ground. 

“He’s a löwenmensch.” Josh said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“What the hell is that?” Hayden asked, her nose crinkling. 

“It’s part wolf, part lion.” Mason said. Liam shot him a quick smile, impressed that he knew. He wasn’t surprised, Mason was the only one of their group that actually did copious amounts of supernatural research. 

“He was a part of the Ahnenerbe,” Josh began. “Hitler’s personal project to use the occult to win the war.” He told them the story of Mr. Douglas, how the man had been a Nazi obsessed with using the supernatural for his own personal gain. He explained how the man had survived an attack from the ghost riders, his ambush of them going horribly wrong. 

“So Douglas didn’t beat a ghost rider. He ran.” Liam surmised, sighing as he stepped closer to the cell. 

“We broke the sword for nothing.” Hayden lamented. 

“But that was in 1943. Where has he been all this time?” Mason asked. 

“Douglas kept looking.” Josh brushed his fingers along the bars of his confinement, glancing up. “He found a scientist he thought could help him. Three of them.” He went on to explain how to dread doctors had taken Douglas, submerging him in a tank after performing their own twisted experiments on him. That he’d been the body they had seen in the tunnels, submerged in green fluid. “The ghost rider’s whip didn’t cut deep enough to take him. It left a gash on his back. He was thrown into the tank and his wound infected the water. It mixed with the fluid from the vat and actually made him stronger. Soaking it in, absorbing the power for seventy years.”

“So he came out with the power of an alpha, a löwenmensch, and a ghost rider.” Liam turned and paced away from the cell. 

“A side effect no one could expect.” Josh hummed. 

“So he can fight them.” Hayden said, following Liam and leaning back against the wall. “He could stop them.”

“There’s something I don’t get.” Liam said, his face pinching. “The Nazis lost the war. Why is he still obsessed with the ghost riders? He can’t use them to win anymore because it’s over. What does he want an army for?”

“He doesn’t want it for the Nazis.” Mason said, the realization slowly dawning on him. He grimaced and looked at Liam, sighing softly. “The Nazis were just a means to an end. He wants it for himself. His own personal, supernatural army.” 

“We need to warn Scott.” Liam said. 

-

“Did you hear something?” Theo asked as they paced the length of the room. He turned to look at Stiles whose gaze was zeroed in on the tunnel at the other end of the room. “What’s wrong?” He frowned, shifting a step closer to his friend. 

“I thought I heard a familiar voice…” Stiles said slowly. He shook his head and turned back to Theo, smiling weakly. “Guess that’s to be expected. This place is filling up pretty fast.” Theo couldn’t help but nod in agreement. Five new rooms had already opened and each one was filled to capacity. Half of Beacon Hills must be trapped in this way station but none of their friends had made it. Theo wasn’t sure if he was grateful for that or not. A selfish part of him wanted Liam to be taken, if only so they could be reunited. He immediately regretted ever wishing for that and scolded himself. 

“Theo?” Someone hesitantly said his name but it wasn’t the someone he was looking for. He turned on his heel and watched Corey emerge from the tunnels, his eyes wide and scared.  “Stiles?”

“The ghost riders didn’t bring him in.” Stiles frowned at Theo and they walked over, quickly hugging each other. “Corey, hey, what’s happening out there?”

“More and more people are disappearing. There’s hardly anyone left. We were trying to find a ghost rider to get some answers but I don’t know if it worked. I was supposed to be out on patrol when…” his eyes widened slightly, confusion clouding them. “No. That can’t be right.”

“What?” Theo frowned, lightly resting his hand on Corey’s arm.

“It’s nothing. I thought I saw someone before I got taken but it’s not possible. He wouldn’t do that.” Corey slowly shook his head. “Everyone’s looking for you guys, trying to find a way out. Theo, Liam’s so worried about you. We all were. I’m glad you’re okay.” He smiled warmly at the other boy. “Your medicine...are you okay? Do you have enough?”

“Well...about that…” Theo scratched the back of his neck and Stiles shot him an unimpressed look.

“This idiot started working twice as hard to find a way out. He’s down to his last two pills. I told him to rest and he doesn’t listen. He never does.” Stiles said, folding his arms over his chest.  

“How is everyone?” Theo asked, using no tact at all as he changed the subject. “Liam...is he okay?”

"He…” Corey tugged his lip between his teeth, biting down with enough force to draw blood. Wincing, he dropped his gaze and shuffled his feet uncomfortably. “He’s in really bad shape, Theo. He’s losing his mind without you. He’s struggling with control, he’s not sleeping, I’m not even sure he’s been eating a proper meal. He’s terrified that you’re dead and I don’t know how much longer it’ll be before he does something insane and reckless. He’s been picking fights with Scott and he brought Josh back-”

“Josh. Seriously?” Stiles asked, his jaw hanging open. “As in the serial killer chimera? As in the asshole that killed Scott and tried to kill my dad?”

“He didn’t know the dread doctors poisoned your dad,” Theo muttered. Incredulous eyes turned to him and he lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “What? I’m just saying.”

“Yes, that Josh.” Corey sighed. “Mason’s worried that Liam is going to throw himself into the hunt to come and find you. He doesn’t remember much but he’s trying.” He smiled apologetically and Theo raised an eyebrow, turning on Stiles.

“So Liam doesn’t remember, huh?” He asked. That should probably hurt more than it actually did. Of course Liam had forgotten him, the same way everyone had forgotten Stiles. “Why didn’t you just tell me that?”

“I was trying to protect you, you delicate flower. Shut up.” Stiles’ flushed a dark red as he scratched behind his ear. “The angry puppy knew your name. He knew you were his anchor. Just...missing everything else.” 

“It’s okay. I expected it.” Theo said quietly, rubbing his hand absently over his chest. Corey’s eyes tracked the movement and he reached over, softly pressing his fingers to Theo’s. Black lines slowly traveled up his arms and some of the pain eased from his chest. He withdrew just as quickly, unable to take pain the way Liam did, but Theo had always suspected that Liam had gone above and beyond. “Thanks.” He smiled slightly and dropped his hand. “Maybe I’ll survive a little bit longer with you helping me out.”

“Aaaand the moment is ruined. Gone. Way to bring it down, Theo.” Stiles scoffed lightly at his friend and Theo grinned, lightly punching him in the arm. 

“I’d forgotten how dark you can be.” Corey laughed for a moment before his eyes widened and he clapped a hand over his mouth. “I’m so sorry!”

“Dude. Don’t be.” Theo waved it off. “You forgot me, it happened. But if you forget me again, we’re going to have to have a talk about getting you on some kind of medicine.” He winked and Corey lowered his hands, the tension easing back out of him. 

“Have you guys found anything else about a way out?” The chimera asked, glancing around the too quiet room. “There are so many doors…”

“They all lead to other rooms where people are waiting and loop back here. Stiles and I have checked every door and tunnel. We can’t make it back through the barrier because…” Theo’s voice wavered for a moment and he cleared his throat, glancing away. 

“We saw someone burn to death trying to escape. It’s how we got Peter out but we can’t follow.” Stiles sighed. “Sorry to burst your bubble but it looks like you’re stuck here.” 

“At least we’re all together. That’s good enough for me right now.” Corey smiled weakly. For a moment, Theo felt hopeful. Liam and the others were still searching for a way to rescue them and now they had someone else to help them look. Maybe Corey could use his abilities and find some kind of hidden door, something they’d been overlooking because they couldn’t see it. As he turned to suggest the possibility, the sound of spurs on boots echoed through the room. 

“Theo.” Stiles grabbed his arm and shifted in front of him, putting himself between the rider and his friend. 

“Do they always just show up?” Corey asked, slowly backing away. 

“This is kind of new.” Stiles replied as the rider advanced on them, his focus on Corey. He crossed the room and grabbed the chimera by the throat, liting him in the air as he began to stride for another door. 

“Fucking hell...Corey!” Theo shoved around Stiles and ran forward, grabbing the ghost rider by the back of his jacket. “Let him go, asshole!” He tugged harder and the rider turned, knocking him back several steps. Theo attempted to charge him again and the rider thrust his arm out, tossing him like a ragdoll into the benches. Several onlookers screamed as they began to run and try and hide, the same reaction as always when the riders appeared. Theo groaned weakly and lifted his head, watching through blurry eyes as the ghost rider disappeared with Corey. “No...Stiles, stop him…” he whispered, reaching out slowly. His vision continued to blur until there was only darkness. Then it was silent.

-

“Liam, come on, we’ve got to hurry.” Mason said as he led them from the room with the holding cell, heading for the front door. 

“We can still find Scott.” Liam said over his shoulder to Hayden. “They haven’t gotten through the rift yet. We have to warn them about Douglas before it’s too late.” He stopped just as Mason emptied his pockets on one of the desks, searching for his keys. The bag of pills ripped open and he cursed as they fell onto the desk, bouncing around. “Mason, it’s okay-” Liam started to reassure as Mason grabbed a couple of the pills. The door ahead of them burst open, leaves from the outside storm rolling across the floor toward them. A ghost rider blocked their path, whip already in hand as he started to approach Mason. 

“No!” Liam screamed, the sound tearing from his throat as Mason turned and the whip wrapped around his neck. His best friend swallowed and reached up to grab the whip around his neck, tears in his eyes.

“Liam, run!” Mason shouted hoarsely. The rider yanked back and Mason disappeared in a cloud of green smoke, no trace of him left behind. Snarling, Liam let himself wolf out as he charged the ghost rider. He let his anger fuel him as he tackled the other supernatural being, getting in a few solid punches before pinning the ghost rider against one of the desks. He raised his claws and the rider tossed him through the window, disposing of him as though he were merely a nuisance.

“Liam!” Hayden cried from the other room. Liam grunted and pushed himself to his feet, gritting his teeth as shards of glass cut into his palms. He snarled softly and glanced out the window to plan his next attack, moving and jumping up to grab the top of the door frame. He swung his legs and kicked the ghost rider across the room, dropping down and leaping to him before he could get back up. He managed to get in a few new hits before the rider sprang over him, kicking Liam in his ribs with enough force to crack them. Hayden joined in the fight and for a moment, Liam thought they could win. They scrambled back and she looked at him, her eyes wide with fear. “We have to tell Scott.” 

“Let’s go.” He took her hand and turned to run, making it through the doorway. He thought they would make it. That everything would be okay. But Hayden’s fingers slipped through his and he stumbled, looking back to see a whip wrapped around her wrist. “Hayden!” He hurried back and grabbed the whip, digging his heels into the ground as they tried to pull the ghost rider down and escape. A second burst through the window, another whip lashing out and grabbing onto Hayden. Liam snarled and grabbed one whip with each hand, struggling to hold them just close enough so that they couldn’t rip Hayden from him.

“Liam.” Hayden whispered tearfully in his ear. “Liam, you have to find Scott.”

“I’m not leaving you.” Liam snarled, gritting his teeth as the muscles in his arms began to burn. He wasn’t going to lose her. He couldn’t lose anyone else, not to the ghost riders. 

“Liam, you have to. You can save me on the other side. I believe in you.” She whispered. Liam swallowed hard and nodded, battling his own tears as he forced himself to let go of the whips. He ducked below them and stumbled back through the doorway, watching as Hayden disappeared just as Mason had. He turned his head and forced himself to keep moving, pausing only as he registered the other heartbeat in the room.  _ Josh _ .

“Liam, wait!” Josh pleaded, his fingers wrapping around the bars. “Don’t leave me. Please.”

“I’m sorry.” Liam whispered, the first of many tears starting to fall. “Hide. I’ll come back for you. I have to...Scott has to know.” He swallowed hard and hurried out the door, fighting the urge to look back. It wouldn’t do any good to try and waste time saving Josh now. Not when they were running out of time and people. For all Liam knew, he was the last person left in Beacon Hills.

He ran from the station and into the woods, his lungs burning as he followed the fading scent of his alpha. It was easy enough to track them down to the tunnels, the realization making him audibly groan. Why was it always the tunnels? Couldn’t they have tracked the supernatural rift a field of butterflies? He hurried through the opening and followed the familiar scents down into the tunnels, relieved that they still existed. That meant they hadn’t made it into the hunt. He started to hope that maybe he could give Scott some of the pills to give to Theo but that was short lived as he crossed the scents of Mr. Douglas and Parrish. “Scott.” He whispered before breaking into a fresh sprint, tracking the sound of voices down the winding tunnels.

“...good guy, bad guy…” Douglas’ voice drifted down the tunnels. “When has anything ever been so black and white?”

“World War II.” Liam said as he turned the corner, watching the older man duck his head to hide a smirk. “He’s a Nazi. He wants the hunt for himself.” He panted and joined Scott at his side, watching Douglas warily. “He wants his own supernatural army.” He said. Douglas sighed across from him and slowly let his whip unfurl.

“We’re not letting you through that rift.” Scott warned, shifting in front of Liam. 

“Not letting me?” Douglas scoffed. “I see. You still think you have a say in the matter.” He smirked and grabbed the whip, lashing out. Liam reached forward and grabbed Lydia by the waist as she stumbled back, drawing her back toward safety. Douglas continued to use the whip to drive them back, hitting at their feet but never actually touching them. Parrish stepped around him to begin breaking the supernatural rift, the hellhound deaf to the pleas from Scott not to do it. With a growl Parrish fully opened it, turning back to Douglas. He roared in warning at Scott and the others, baring his fangs. As Douglas disappeared through the rift, Parrish turned and followed. Malia attempted to rush the barrier but it closed, ending their only chance at following and finding their friends.

“No.” Lydia whispered brokenly. Liam grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly, opening his mouth to say something, anything that might be of comfort, when two ghost riders slowly came through the barrier.

“Liam, you and Lydia get to the bunker.” Scott said over his shoulder as he urged them to keep backing up. Liam nodded and felt Lydia’s fingers curl around his own, clinging tightly as they began to run. Behind them, he heard Malia roar and the sounds of a major scuffle. He tried not to think about what was happening as he continued to run with the banshee, keeping close to her. A new roar sounded behind them and Liam shuddered, glancing back.

“That roar didn’t sound too promising.” He said with a huff.

“They rarely are,” Lydia pointed out. “Keep going. Keep going.” She started to run and they turned the corner, freezing immediately at the sight of a ghost rider waiting for them. Lydia put her arm out to block Liam, slowly stepping in front of him as she kept her gaze trained on the ghost rider. The gun was leveled at them slowly and then cocked before it was aimed for the ceiling.

“What’s happening?” Liam hissed in a low whisper. 

“I don’t know. But stay behind me.” Lydia said firmly. The ghost rider slowly lowered his gun again and Lydia took a tentative step forward. When he didn’t move, she took another. “Follow me.” She gripped Liam’s hand again and they slowly passed by the ghost rider, Lydia shifting around to shield Liam as they rounded the corner and backed down the tunnel.

“It’s afraid of you.” Liam said as they walked back.

“I’m afraid of me.” Lydia said. She turned and touched Liam’s arm, nodding at him before they started sprinting back down the tunnels. They made it to the bunker in no time and Lydia turned as they closed the door, hugging Liam as she started to cry. He buried his face against her shoulder and held her close, knowing there were no comforting words to be spoken. How could there be? She’d lost her soulmate, her friends, and most likely her family as well. He knew how she was feeling and nothing had been able to comfort him at this time.

It wasn’t long before Scott and Malia joined them, speaking quietly of Peter as his sacrifice in the tunnels. They made their escape and headed for Scott’s house to regroup, looking for some kind of answers. Scott tried his mom and the line was gone, telling him the number was no longer in service. Liam didn’t even try his phone, knowing that everyone in it was gone. He collapsed into a kitchen chair and stared vacantly at the floor, hardly listening when Malia told Scott it was just a recording and his mother was gone. 

“What do we do now?” Liam asked, jiggling his leg restlessly as he glanced over at his friends. 

“We can’t hide from them.” Malia said, turning to look at him.

“What about Lydia?” Liam got to his feet, unable to sit still any longer. “The ghost rider was afraid of her.” He glanced at the redhead leaning against the window, suppressing a shudder as mournful eyes looked back at him. 

“It wasn’t fear.” Lydia said slowly, walking over to the table and sitting down. Liam did the same, crossing his arms and leaning forward slightly. “It was reverence.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Scott said softly. The rift is gone. We’re the only ones left in Beacon Hills.” No sooner had the words been spoken than the sheriff walked in, drawing their attention. 

“I have a son.” John said, a touch of awe in his voice. He began to tell them everything he had remembered about Stiles, keeping his gaze fixed on Lydia the whole time. He took shuddering breaths between each small story, tears in his eyes as he talked about his son. Liam’s chest tightened as he realized that Lydia had finally gotten through to him and convinced him of the truth. “I thought I saw him,” he added quietly after explaining how his room had come back with all of the memories. “It’s like something opened right there in the middle of the room. Just for a moment. And then it was gone.”

“The rift.” Scott whispered.

“I thought there was only one rift. We saw it closed. We couldn’t get through it.” Malia said, looking up in confusion.

“You remembered Stiles. Then a new rift was created.” Scott said slowly, sitting up straighter.

“If the sheriff can do it....” Malia began, mirroring Scott as hope filled her voice. 

“Then maybe we can,” Lydia finished, setting her hand on the table. 

“But that rift closed,” Liam reminded sadly. 

“Then we’ll open it again. We’ll open it by remembering Stiles. By remembering everything.” Scott said, leaning forward. He cut his gaze to Liam, smiling softly. “And Theo. We can’t do it without trying for both of them. I know I haven’t been the best alpha lately…”

“It’s not that. You just...you remember more about Stiles. I remember more about Theo. Or I thought I was.” Liam sighed and hung his head. “But you guys are holding onto your memories as you get them. I’m not.”

“I wasn’t either until I faced the truth about Claudia not being real.” John rested his hand on Liam’s shoulder and squeezed tightly. “So we need to figure out who your Claudia is. Once they’re gone, maybe it will be easier to remember him.”

“Actually...we already have an idea on who it is.” Lydia said slowly as she traced her fingers absently across the table. “It’s Tara Raeken.” 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam is willing to do whatever it takes to save Theo. Someone else seems to feel the same, the last person he'd expect it from.

_They were curled up in Theo’s bed, the record player across the room filling their lazy afternoon with the sound of soft rock. It was an older band, one Liam had never heard of, but it was a record passed down from Theo’s dad and he played it often. Liam had Theo wrapped in his arms, his chin resting on top of the other’s head as his fingers stroked lazy spirals down his spine. Theo hummed in contentment and rubbed his face against Liam’s chest, warm breath puffing against his shirt._

_“You finally awake?” Liam teased softly, lowering his lips to Theo’s ear. His soulmate shuddered lightly and made a soft sound of protest, stretching his legs before sliding one between his thighs. He shifted to get comfortable again, muttering something unintelligible. “Theeeeoooo…” Liam chuckled and hid his face against the side of his neck. “You aren’t supposed to sleep all day, you know. It messes up your sleep schedule.”_

_“See if I ever invite you over for the night again.” Theo grumbled lightly. He shifted back and looked up, bright green eyes still a little heavy from sleep. “Why are you so damn cheerful this morning? It’s too early.”_

_“It’s mid-afternoon.” Liam reminded with a soft chuckle. “You fell asleep when we were watching that documentary on World War I. Remember?”_

_“That’s because it was boring.” Theo whined, though his heart skipped a beat. Liam laughed and tightened his hold, nuzzling against him gently in response. “You used your powers, didn’t you?” Theo grumbled, no real bite to his words._

_“You know I can’t help it. Besides, you’re a terrible liar.” Liam grinned. He could practically feel Theo rolling his eyes and it only made his grin stretch until it was starting to hurt. His boyfriend wriggled for a moment and then rolled them, catching Liam by surprise. He dropped his hands down to Theo’s waist and stared up at his gorgeous human, blue eyes sparkling with mirth._

_“Fuck, you’re heavy.” Theo huffed and dropped down onto Liam’s chest, causing him to groan. “Can’t you lose some of this muscle?” He joked, running his fingers lightly down Liam’s bicep._

_“You wouldn’t want me if I did.” Liam chuckled and reached up, lightly cupping Theo’s cheek._

_“Yeah. You’re probably right.” Theo smirked and Liam took the momentary distraction to start tickling his side, gaining the advantage. He rolled them again and lifted up onto his elbows above Theo, beaming down at his breathless boyfriend. This was it. This was going to be the moment they first kissed, he could feel it in his bones. He started to lean in, watching in wonder as Theo closed his eyes. Just as their faces neared, a knock sounded on the door and startled him. He rolled to the side and misjudged his calculation, falling to the floor in a heap. Theo started cackling from the bed as his mother voiced her concerns from the other side of the door, asking if everything was okay. Liam sat there and stared up at the laughing boy, his heart racing in his chest. One day soon, he was going to tell Theo that he loved him. He couldn’t wait much longer._

“Liam?” Lydia’s voice snapped him back to reality and he took a shaky breath, blinking slowly at her with tearful eyes. “What’s wrong?” She asked from the driver’s seat.

“I...I think I was remembering something.” Liam whispered, biting down on his tongue until it started to bleed. He dug his nails into his thighs and swallowed hard, the bitter tang of blood trickling down his throat. “How much of Stiles do you remember?” He asked, rubbing his fingers over the bruising on his left wrist as he turned to stare out the window.

“Not a lot. I sometimes think I can remember his voice...the way he laughed. But it all feels foggy, like I’m trapped in mist. I think I watched him play lacrosse a few times. I can remember sitting in the stands but…” she trailed off and Liam glanced over, watching her lips purse as she pulled into the Raeken driveway. “You know the plan, right?”

“See if I can bring Theo back by trying to remember him here with his mom. Try and convince her Tara isn’t real. If I can’t then the sheriff and I will go back to the police station and try and draw the ghost riders there. I’ve got to do anything I can to keep the ghost riders distracted while you guys try and remember Stiles.” Liam recited, putting his hand on the handle. “Lydia…”

“I know. You too.” She reached for his hand on his lap and squeezed it tightly. “Remember Theo, Liam. It might be the only way to save him. You can do it.” She assured before letting go.

“Good luck.” Liam smiled weakly and leaned back over, gently kissing her cheek. “Remind me when this is all over to thank you for being so amazing.”

“Liam, I’m going to be telling you to remember that for the rest of your life.” She laughed softly and he nodded, climbing out of the car. He watched her back out of the driveway and head back towards the forest, back to the tunnels where Scott and Malia were waiting for her. He rolled his shoulders and walked to the front door, knocking gently. Two heartbeats later the door opened, Tara Raeken narrowing her eyes at him.

“Liam. What are you doing here?” She asked, leaning against the door frame and blocking his path.

“I’m here to see your mom. Excuse me.” Liam said, taking a step closer. She didn’t budge and he narrowed his eyes, eyeing her. “Tara, please get out of the way.”

“Can’t do that, pup. We both know why you’re really here and I just can’t let you ruin things.” She smirked. “How’d you figure it out?”

“I saw where you fell into the water. There’s no way you could have pulled yourself out and Theo wasn’t strong enough as a kid. He couldn’t have done it either. You’re dead, Tara.” Liam swallowed and looked up at her, his breath shuddering as he exhaled. “You’re not real. Connie deserves to know the truth. You can’t be the child she wants. She misses Theo and some part of her knows that deep down. You aren’t going to be enough to fill that void.”

“You think so?” Tara cocked her head in consideration. With blinding movements she lunged forward, fingers wrapping around his neck as she threw him up against the wall. He snarled and brought out his claws, swiping at her skin to no avail. She was invulnerable to him, a spectre brought back to life by sheer force of loss and belief, a need to fill a void left behind. “Liam Dunbar, such a pity.” She sneered, tightening her fingers around his throat. Black spots sprang up at the corners of his vision, dotting everything. “You know, it would have been nice if you could have just disappeared like the rest of them. Too bad you’re actually going to die-”

“Tara?” The door opened further and Connie Raeken stood in the doorway, her hand pressed to her lips. “Tara, what are you doing to Liam?”

“Mom!” Tara dropped him immediately and he crumpled to the ground, clutching at his throat as he gasped for breath. “He-he was threatening us-”

“Liam would never do such a thing.” Connie’s lip quivered as she looked at her daughter. “I didn’t think it was true. I...I thought I must be mixing things up. But you’re not real, are you? You never came home from the bridge that night. I can’t remember celebrating your birthday or buying you presents for Christmas. You should have graduated high school by now but you’re still a senior? None of it...it doesn’t add up.”

“She’s not real,” Liam rasped softly. “Theo’s missing and the ghost riders are using her to manipulate you. You can’t believe in her anymore.” He said, hoping that maybe she would disappear as Claudia Stilinski had done according to the sheriff. “I know it might be scary to lose her too but I swear to you, I am doing everything in my power to bring Theo back to you. I swear on my life. Trust me,” he pleaded to the older woman.

“I...I trust you.” Connie swallowed and drew her shoulders up, squaring her chin as she looked at Tara with tearful eyes. “You aren’t real. You can’t exist. But my son is real. His name...his name is Theodore Raeken and he has a congenital heart condition.” She sniffled and dabbed at her eyes. “My daughter died when she was ten years old. You’re not real, you’re just what I want you to be.”

“Mom...mom please…” Tara pleaded, tears burning in her eyes. Liam almost believed she was feeling something but he had to remind himself that she wasn’t real. Not the way that Connie wanted her to be. He took a shuddering breath and watched as Tara slowly disappeared in front of them, turning furious eyes to Liam. “I’ll be back for you.” She hissed before she was gone, leaving them alone on the doorstep.

“Liam…” Connie reached for him and he stood, wrapping her in a tight hug.

“I know, Mrs. Raeken. I’m going to go find Theo and bring him back. I don’t care what I have to do. Just remember your son. Keep trying to remember everything. You loved him so much.” He reminded, squeezing her close.

“You should go, Liam. I can handle her if she comes back. But you should be out there looking for him and with your friends. Everyone is disappearing and I don’t understand it but you seem to.” She wiped at her eyes and gave him a watery smile. “Go, Liam. Go find my son and you bring him home.” She kissed his forehead and drew back, stepping back into her home. “It looks like your ride is here.” She nodded behind him and he looked back, smiling weakly as he saw the sheriff pull up in his cruiser.

“Lydia called and said you might need backup.” John called from the rolled down window. “Need a hand?”

“I’m coming with you.” Liam said. He turned back to Connie and gave her a more confident smile. “I have a plan. If it works, Theo will be home in no time. Everyone will. Stay inside and keep the doors shut.” He warned before dashing to the cruiser, yanking the door open and hopping in. “Sheriff, we need to go to the station. We need Josh.”

-

“Motherfucker,” Theo groaned as he lifted his head slowly. “Did I pass out again?” He gingerly pressed his fingers to the back of his head, hissing in pain.

“You got tossed into the bench by a ghost rider and then you blacked out. I think you might have a concussion. Let me test-” Stiles waved his hand in front of Theo’s face and he scowled, batting his hand away in annoyance. “That was so stupid of you, you know that? Risking your life for Corey. You could have been killed and then what?” He chastised, the disapproval clear in his eyes. “You’re reckless and a danger to yourself. An absolute menace.”

“Where’s Corey?” Theo ignored his rambling as he sat up, wincing in pain. He tentatively pressed his fingers along his side, checking to make sure nothing was broken. It didn’t feel like it but he was going to be bruised for days. Though if time continued to pass in strange ways here, maybe the bruises would be gone before he knew it.

“It’s not pretty.” Stiles sighed and tugged his fingers back through his hair. “He’s alive,” he added quickly at Theo’s anxious look. “But they really did a number on him. I’m not sure you should see him.”

“Where-” Theo started to ask but the intercom cut him off, listening all of the stops that had been cancelled. “That’s...that’s Corey’s voice.” His eyes shot to Stiles and the other boy gave a grim nod. “What did they do to him? Where is he?” He got to his feet unsteadily, hand going instinctively to his heart as he swayed on his feet.

“Whoa, hey, take it easy.” Stiles hooked an arm around his waist and adjusted them so Theo could lean into his side as they walked. “The ghost riders took him. After I made sure you were still breathing - you’re welcome, by the way - I tracked them down. They wired Corey up to the radio that Peter and I were trying to use to call Scott and the others.”

“What do you mean they wired him up?” Theo asked as they approached the door, a sinking feeling in his chest. He pushed away from Stiles and fumbled with the doorknob, halfway falling through the open door. Stiles caught him by the shoulders to haul him back and Theo felt sick at what he saw. “Oh god...Corey…” He whimpered softly, his stomach twisting at the sight of his friend wrapped in wires. His clothes had been ripped open and thick cables had been forced inside of him, bulging under his skin. The wounds were a sickly gray in color and Theo turned his head, tears clinging to his eyelashes as he slumped against the door frame and began to vomit. Harsh tremors wracked his body as he heaved, only held up by Stiles with his arm around Theo’s waist.

“Theo, we’ll get him out of there.” Stiles whispered as Theo finished puking bile and wiped the back of his mouth. He trembled against his friend and wept brokenly for the person he couldn’t save, wishing more than anything that it was him instead. Corey didn’t deserve to be strapped down like that, he hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d just shown up, lost and confused like everyone else, and they’d taken him without cause.

“I’m so sorry…” he croaked to his friend, unable to fight back as Stiles dragged him out of the room. He watched the door fall shut and pressed his face against Stiles’ shoulder, rough sobs escaping him as he held his friend. He wept for Corey. He wept for Trent, dying without ever really getting the chance to live. He wept for everyone that the ghost riders had ever taken that would never be able to return home. For every child snatched from their parent. Every soulmate that didn’t know they had lost someone. He screamed and cried until his voice was raw and everything in him ached, his nerves on fire as his body shook.

When he was finally done screaming, he pulled back from Stiles and stared up at him with dull eyes. The other boy wordlessly pulled out the bottle of pills, shaking the last one into his palm and offering it to Theo. He took it without complaint and closed his eyes as he swallowed, sighing. It was time to face the cold truth. There was no escape from this prison. He was never going to get out of here alive. Liam was never going to find him in time.

-

“Absolutely not. You’re out of your mind.” Sheriff Stilinski said as he climbed from his cruiser, tucking the keys into his pocket. “It’s not happening, Liam.”

“Look, I’m not saying you have to like him.” Liam sighed unhappily as he followed the sheriff. “I’m just saying maybe he can help us.” _If he’s still around,_ he thought to himself. Guilt rolled through him like a tidal wave and he swallowed back bile.

“Liam, I’ll consider asking Josh for help when I don’t have a station full of armed deputies to back me up.” John pushed open the door and froze in place, taking in all of the empty desks. He slowly entered the room and Liam looked over the destruction and debris littering the floor, his throat tightening as he thought of Hayden and Mason. Across the room, the static of one of the radios filled the empty space around them. The sheriff walked over and picked it up, Liam close on his heels. “Any available units…” John began, calling for his officers to respond. Liam hung his head and took the time to listen intently, relief flooding him as he caught a racing heart from the holding cell room. Not everyone had been taken.

“They’re gone.” Liam spoke gently as he looked back at the sheriff.

“That’s not…” John swallowed and licked his lips. “That’s not possible. They couldn’t have taken everyone…”

“They didn’t.” Josh cut in icily from his prison. “Hey Liam, fuck you.”

“Hey Josh…” Liam turned and swallowed hard, approaching him slowly. “Listen, I’m sorry-“

“Cut the bullshit.” Josh scowled at him. “I’m really not in the mood to hear it.” He watched the sheriff slowly shuffle closer and his eyes lit up. “Please, please tell me that you brought the key card.” He said as he leaned against the gate, looping his arms between the bars.

“I also brought my gun.” John said flatly.

“And your sense of humor. That is great.” Josh joked weakly and then straightened up, pulling his arms back into the cell. “If we’re the only ones left in Beacon Hills, then we need each other. Which means you need me out of this cell.”

“We need to trust you.” Liam countered quietly, his stomach churning at the dark look Josh gave him.

“Then you need to get realistic because trust is not important right now. It is us against them and you want a lot more of us considering how many of them there are.” Josh ground out, his eyes flickering gold for a split second.

“I hate to say he’s right but...he’s right.” Liam sighed to the sheriff.

“If I let you out and I see any behavior that I find remotely suspicious, I’ll put so many bullets in your head that God won’t even recognize you.” John said, his lip curling in disgust as he stepped closer to the cell. Josh’s eyes glittered and he stepped flush against the bars, his smile menacing.

“I’m an atheist. Fire at will.” Josh smirked confidently as the sheriff sighed and stepped closer, rotating the key card slowly between his fingers. The older man hesitated for a split second and Josh shifted in agitation, feeling restless. “You’re gonna need to be a bit closer than that, sheriff.” He said, watching the man draw the card back suddenly. His eyes widened and he tapped the card reader quickly, bouncing on his feet. “Wave it over the card reader, come on. Right here. Up and down, you can do it.” He watched the man rotate the card again, his heart beginning to race.

“Sheriff, we need him.” Liam reminded softly. He tensed as Josh’s heart began to pound, anger and fear and panic rolling off of him in waves. The utter lack of control over his chemosignals made Liam wonder what had happened when the skinwalkers had taken him. How had Josh lost his calm and collected nature? With a snarl, Josh lunged at the bars and reached wildly for the key card. John drew it back out of reach, shaking his head slightly as the chimera bristled and stepped back. Josh shook the bars and pushed back, his nostrils flaring as he let out a frustrated breath.

“Tell me something.” John said quietly, flicking the card between his fingers as he studied the caged teenager.

“What?” Josh scoffed in disbelief, throwing one hand up. “What...what are you talking about? Tell you what?”

“Tell me about my son.” John said. The hair on the back of Liam’s neck stood and he looked around, his skin prickling. There was a storm closing in, he could almost feel the charged electricity in the air. “Tell me about one thing you remember about Stiles. Just one.”

“You swipe that key card and I’ll tell you anything you want.” Josh said, throwing Liam a desperate look. “Liam, come on. Please. Get me out of here.”

“Sheriff. _They_ are coming.” Liam reminded, pleading with the older man as he glanced back at the doorway where the wind had started to howl.

“Just tell me one thing. One thing!” John yelled.

Josh sneered and shook the bars, glaring at the older man. He didn’t speak until John turned to walk away. “He was smart!” He yelled, stopping him in his tracks. “He was smart.” He repeated at a lower volume. “Smart enough not to trust me.” John hesitated a moment, reading Josh’s face for the truth, and gently inclined his head in thanks. He swiped the card and Liam tugged open the gate, stepping back quickly as Josh brushed past him. He didn’t say a word to Liam, his gaze cold and unflinching as he eyed the werewolf while passing him.

Liam tugged off his overshirt as they walked from the room, tucking it under his arm. He froze as they rounded the corner of a desk, hearing the thunder outside accompanied by a familiar whinny. “They’re here.” He said, his chest tightening. Was this really going to be the end?

“How close?” The sheriff asked.

“Too close,” Josh murmured.

“And how many?”

“I heard a couple of horses,” Liam replied. “Maybe more.”

“Five. I-I think five at most.” Josh stammered out, watching the sheriff closely. Liam wasn’t sure he could remember ever seeing the boy so afraid, even when they’d been facing down the beast.

“Three of us. Five of them. You ready?” John said as he shifted to face the doorway. He cocked his gun and took a step, not pausing as Josh rushed forward and grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Wait, are you kidding? Us against five ghost riders?”

“We can take ‘em.” Liam said softly. He had to believe that. If he didn’t…

“Five of them?” Josh demanded with wide eyes.

“Three of us.” Liam said, nodding slightly. He rolled his shoulders back and stood taller, taking a deep breath. They could do this. They had to survive this and find a way to remember Theo. If they did then they could bring him back, maybe even bring back the entire town. He followed the sheriff to the door, hearing Josh flick out his claws as he fell into step behind them. The sheriff reached for the door and opened it to reveal at least fifteen ghost riders on the other side, all waiting patiently.

“Ah hell.” John muttered as a gun was fired, striking him in the chest. Liam watched him disappear in green smoke before throwing himself backwards, hiding against the wall. Josh was doing the same on the opposite side of the door, staring at Liam in terror. He took a breath and counted to three before reaching over, grabbing Josh by the wrist and dragging him along.

“Two of us,” Josh pointed out as they raced through the station and headed for the back entrance. Liam stopped just before they exited, snatching a box off the wall that he’d seen deputies put their keys inside in the past. They burst through the doors and Josh hesitated at the sight of John’s sheriff car sitting there, glancing back at Liam. He shook his head and they headed for a different cruiser, Josh sliding into the driver’s seat and slamming the door. “Keys, keys!” He demanded as Liam fumbled with the box. It spilled open in his lap, a multitude of keys clattering around as they stared at it in unison.

“Son of a bitch,” Josh snarled. “Are you serious?” He slammed his palm against the steering wheel before reaching for a key, Liam sliding one into his hand. He tried it and then tossed it into the backseat, grinding his teeth. “Give me another.”

“Which one?” Liam asked, his voice rising in pitch as he fumbled through the mess.

“Any of them. Give me a damn key, come on!” Josh snapped, waiting impatiently for Liam to finally stop trembling long enough to give him a key.

“There’s a lot of keys here!” Liam whined, thrusting one over to Josh. He tried it and growled in frustration, tossing it over his shoulder.

“I really feel like you’re not even trying right now, Liam.”

“I’m trying, I’m trying!” Liam let out a stifled high pitched scream and Josh almost laughed. Almost. He took the next proffered key and it joined the others, a useless pile in the backseat.

“No. Come on, Liam. Give me anoth…” He trailed off as Liam held up a tiny gold key. “This isn’t even a car key!” He yelled in frustration. He looked at the rearview mirror as Liam began to dig through the box again, eyes wide as he saw the ghost riders starting to approach the back of the car.

“That’s a small key, that’s too small, too small…” Liam said, panicking as he flipped through the keys and they began to fall out of the box.

“Come on!” Josh hissed.

“Here, try this one!” Liam forced another into his hands and Josh shoved it into the ignition, relief swelling inside of him as it fit and turned perfectly. Liam ran his fingers back through his hair, staring at the gas gauge as it came on to reveal a mostly full tank. “Whoa! Yes! Go, go, go!” He pounded the dashboard with each word for emphasis and Josh let out a laugh, setting his hand on the side of Liam’s seat as he looked over his shoulder and began to drive in reverse. A ghost rider stood in his path but he kept driving, eyes widening as the ghost rider didn’t budge and fell victim to his driving abilities. He shared a brief look with Liam and slowly smirked, shifting the car into drive and peeling out from behind the station.

The next few minutes passed in silence, each of them collecting their breath and trying to relax. Liam wasn’t sure he should be breaking the silence but he needed to be honest with Josh. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. Josh let out a curious hum but didn’t look over, his fingers tightening around the wheel. “I shouldn’t have left you earlier. You didn’t deserve that and I can’t forgive myself for it. It was wrong of me.”

“Yeah, it was.” Josh huffed softly. The silence stretched between them and Liam thought that would be the end of things until the other boy spoke again. “Where does this road take us?” He asked, shifting the topic of conversation.

“The hospital.” Liam swallowed roughly.

“Hospital? The...what the fuck are we supposed to do at the hospital?” Josh growled, grinding his teeth.

“Hide.” Liam said, his cheeks heating up as he looked over at him. “Look, we can’t outrun them, right? I know every inch of that building. Every room, every corner.”

“Hide, that’s the best you’ve got?” Josh asked, raising his voice.

“We just need to keep them away from Scott for as long as possible.”

“Why? What’s he gonna do?” He glanced over at Liam, furrowing his brow.

“He’s going to remember.” Liam said fiercely.

“Remember what?”

“Stiles. He has to remember Stiles.” Liam swallowed thickly and looked back out the window. “I can’t remember Theo. It’s little flashes now but it’s not enough.”

“And what if he can’t?

“Then the rest of us...we get forgotten.” He said, looking ahead as they reached the hospital. Josh scowled and thrust the car into park, getting out and slamming the door. He hurried for the door and Liam followed quickly. He hesitated just beside the ambulance, looking up at the flashing lights for a moment.

“Liam, come on.” Josh huffed. “We don’t have that much of a lead on them.” Liam shook his head and hopped into the ambulance, scanning the buttons for a moment before flipping the one for the sirens. He flinched away from the loud noise and stumbled back, grabbing Josh as he tried to get around him. “What the hell are you doing?!”

“Don’t turn it off!” Liam shoved Josh back toward the doors, his nostrils flaring.

“You want to bring them all here? Every single one?” Josh lunged again and Liam grabbed his upper arms, forcing him back a few feet.

“That’s exactly what I want to do! ‘Cause if the ghost riders are here, they aren’t after Scott.”

“So you don’t care if they get to you?” Josh demanded roughly, baring blunt human teeth.

“They’re going to get to all of us eventually.”

“You! You’re going first.” Josh yelled, his heart starting to race again. “That’s the only reason I’m with you. Because while they’re busy wrapping a whip around your neck, or shooting a hole in your head, I’ll be running the other direction. I’m on your side as long as it helps me.” He pushed Liam in the chest.

“Trust me, I know.” Liam shoved him in retaliation and Josh turned with a scowl, storming into the hospital. They walked past the reception desk and Josh slowed to a halt, staring down the empty hallway. The sharp scent of terror wafted from him and Liam frowned, stepping closer. “Josh?” He asked as his heart began to race.

“I’m fine.” Josh said, his voice low and rough. “Just...just thought I was somewhere else for a second.” His voice wavered and cracked.

“Where?”

“In a bad dream.” Josh smiled humorlessly and Liam opened his mouth again but distant neighing dragged his attention back to the doors. “You said you knew where to hide.” He reminded.

“Follow me.” Liam said, hurrying for the elevator. He took them down to the basement and as soon as they stepped out of the doors, Josh froze. He looked anxiously up and down the hallways before following Liam into the morgue, watching the beta waste no time in dragging a table to block the entrance.

“This is your brilliant idea? To barricade ourselves in the morgue?” He demanded, gesturing at the table in disbelief. “Of all the idiotic…”

“The ghost riders go after the living. So we hide with the dead.” Liam said, crossing the room and opening a body drawer.

“I’m not getting in one of those.” Josh warned as he caught sight of a dead body.

“Me neither.” Liam said, holding his breath as he closed the drawer.

“You should have left me in the holding cell.” Josh scoffed lightly as he leaned against the table barricading the door, looking out the small window.

“I should have left you in the ground.” The words flew out of his mouth before he could help them. Josh tensed and turned his head, his eyes glittering with anger as he rounded on Liam.

“Oh really? What do you think I was doing down there? Just hanging around with the skinwalkers? With Tracy and Jada?”

“I think you were rotting down there.” Liam said honestly, watching him closely.

“Liam finally gets one thing right.” Josh said, turning to look away from him as he shook his head.

“And I think whatever happened to you, you deserved it.”

“Is that right?” He murmured, so quiet that Liam almost missed it.

“When the ghost riders find us, I’m not going to do anything for you. I’m not gonna help you. I’m not gonna save you. I’m gonna do exactly what you would do to me. I’m gonna use you as bait.” Liam said, anger pulsing under his skin as he watched the other boy. Josh said nothing in response, his gaze firmly fixed on the entrance. Liam took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down, shaking his head. “Josh-”

“Do you still hear the ambulance?” Josh interrupted. Liam didn’t answer and he turned, sneering at his look of confusion. “The siren. Do you hear it?” He waited for Liam to shake his head and suppressed a tremble. “They’re here.”

“If we just stay quiet, maybe they won’t find us. Maybe they’ll go away.” Liam said quietly.

“Liam?” Josh murmured in question, dropping his eyes as Liam attempted to meet his gaze. “Never mind.”

“Will you tell me about him?” Liam asked, moving a small step closer to Josh. “About Theo? I...I need to know. I want to remember him.” He whispered, rubbing at his forearm. “I can’t remember him the way Lydia can remember Stiles. There are pieces but...nothing concrete.”

“Sure.” Josh surprised him with a half smile. “What do you want to know?”

A million questions buzzed in Liam’s head. He wanted to know everything, of course, but some things felt far more important at the moment. “Tell me about the color of his eyes.” He whispered.

“You _would_ ask a dumb question like that.” The words held no real bite to them and Liam waited as Josh considered his answer. “Green, most of the time. Sometimes blue when the right light hit them. You used to tell him there were little flecks of gold in his eyes, it always made him smile. You were so dumb.”

“What about his smile?” Liam asked, a small whine escaping as Josh chuckled. “Please. I just…”

“Relax. I’m not laughing at you. It’s kind of cute to hear you want to know the simple things. I guess...the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled and sometimes he squinted. He wore glasses but not that often, he had contacts that he preferred instead. You always said you hated watching him put his contacts in because it freaked you out. You thought he was going to poke his eyeballs out or something.”

“It’s a real thing that could happen,” Liam huffed under his breath. “Josh? Why are you doing this?”

“You literally just asked me to.” Josh turned and rolled his eyes. “Seriously?”

“You know that’s not what I mean. Why are you helping? Why have you been trying to save me?” Liam took a step closer, tilting his head in curiosity. “You...you don’t love Theo, do you? Because he’s my soulmate. I’m pretty sure we don’t share.”

“You’re a fucking idiot.” Josh snorted softly, lips stretching in an easy grin as he met his eyes. “I wasn’t in love with Theo. Still not, for the record. But he was my friend. Even after all the shit that I pulled...Theo saw something in me. I remember begging Scott to save me as Tracy started dragging me down into the ground. Theo tried to step in but he was too weak. He’d been hurt the day before, I think. Clawed open by the beast. But he was so fucking stubborn. He followed us down into the tunnels and he was there when everything went down. He tried to save me.”

“Did you really like him?” Liam asked gently. “You used a lot of people…”

“Not Theo.” He shook his head quickly and sighed. “I was never worried about using him to get to any of you. Hell, I even convinced Jada and Tracy to leave him alone. The dread doctors...they thought maybe they could make him a chimera. I told them the surgery would be too risky on him. Don’t know why they actually listened to me but…” he shrugged one shoulder. “I never really deserved his friendship. But he was so weak and somehow still the strongest person I’ve ever met. I really admired that about him.” He confessed.

“What-” Liam started to ask a new question but the ding of the elevator grabbed his attention. His breath hitched and he looked at the doorway, swallowing hard. The doors of the elevator creaked open and boots began coming down the hall. He nodded at Josh and together they turned the table. As the ghost rider approached the door they shoved the table through it, knocking him into the opposite wall. They shared a brief look in victory before turning, seeing the other ghost riders rounding the corner.

“Hide with the dead?” Josh reminded, scoffing.

“It was worth a try.” Liam defended as they slowly backed away. They turned just as the ghost riders began to fire at them, ducking around the corner and starting to run. As they cut a second corner, a ghost rider appeared before them and the pair sprang apart. Liam grabbed the ghost rider’s arm before he could fire his gun, wrestling with him until he was on a desk and then gun fired at the ceiling. He struggled as the rider pushed him off and he turned them, knocking the rider backwards into a bin of laundry. As he spun around, a second gun was aimed at him and his breath caught in his throat.

Josh snarled and came out of nowhere, tackling the ghost rider into an empty broom closet. He yanked the door shut and Liam grabbed a crutch leaning on the wall, helping wedge it against the door to lock the ghost rider inside. Liam huffed out a laugh of disbelief, grinning widely as he looked at his ally. The other boy rolled his eyes, looking toward the ceiling as footsteps sounded from above. Somewhere in the distance, glass smashed and heavy footfalls echoed down the hall. “They’re everywhere.”

“Good.” Liam said, thinking of Scott and the others. Maybe they were safe for now.

“Really?” Josh demanded, giving him a sharp look. “You really need me to remind you that getting captured by the ghost riders isn’t gonna help you save your friends? Save Theo?” Liam opened his mouth to answer but a shadow at the far end of the hall caught his attention.

“We’re both going to get caught,” he said quietly. “You can do it while running. I’m going down fighting.” He said. Josh’s jaw clenched and unclenched as he considered his options, knowing they were limited. He watched in awe as Liam walked forward, starting to wolf out as five ghost riders appeared at the end of the hall.

“Fuck it,” Josh muttered as he rolled his neck and let his fangs come out. With a snarl he lunged into the chaotic fray, watching Liam’s back. They managed to drive the group apart and focused on splitting them up, finding it far easier to take them down in smaller numbers. Josh goaded the nearest rider drawing out his whip, leaping back from harm just as the whip cracked down where his feet had been. He stumbled onto his back and crawled his way backwards. His eyes darted around as he searched for any kind of weapon and he dragged himself back inch by inch. Rolling onto his side, he grabbed a hand saw that had somehow found a new home on the floor and lurched to his feet, lashing out with the last second weapon and burying it in the thick flesh of the ghost rider’s neck. He watched the blood spurt out as the body crumpled to the floor, dead before it even hit the ground.

Josh took a few shaky breaths and turned to go help Liam. He crashed directly into the chest of a ghost rider and his eyes widened as gloved hands wrapped around his throat. He struggled to fight back as he was forced onto his knees, barely managing to turn his head to find Liam. The werewolf was struggling with his own ghost rider, pinned down against an autopsy table with his face pressed into the metal. He watched Liam manage to elbow the rider and gain the upper hand before he was pushed completely onto his knees, the hands around his throat tightening. A shot rang out and he jolted, staring in shock as the ghost rider was ripped away from him and hit the wall. He turned with wide eyes to find Liam holding a gun, wrestling with another ghost rider before shooting him as well. Josh got to his feet and stepped over the ghost rider, walking slowly down to the doorway where he met Liam. He offered his fist for a quick bump but the moment was ruined as more ghost riders appeared at the end of the hall. Liam turned around to face them, not paying attention as Josh turned to retreat. He heard the slap of the elevator button in rapid succession and snarled, dropping his fangs. If Josh was going to run them Liam was going to have to do this on his own. He started to charge them but a strong arm wrapped around his waist, dragging him backwards.

He fell in a heap to the floor, barely lifting up onto his elbows as he stared at Josh in the doorway. “What are you doing?” He demanded, blood rushing in his ears as the doors began to close.

Josh turned around and smirked at him, lifting a bag with white pills in it. “Being the bait.” He said as the doors shut.

“No!” Liam rushed forward and slammed his palms against the doors, leaning his forehead against them. Outside, he could hear the sound of Josh snarling, gunshots, and then a human scream before silence fell. “Dammit.” He whispered, slamming his palm against the control panel. He didn’t care which floor he went to, he just needed to escape before the rest of the ghost riders found him. Of course Josh had decided to play hero at the last moment. Liam wanted to be furious with him. He wanted to hate Josh for being so stupid but of course he couldn’t really say that. Not when the chimera had stolen the heart medicine for Theo, just in case he lost the battle and got taken. Maybe he did care after all.

-

Stiles slowly stood from the bench where Theo was resting, pausing as his friend stirred from where he’d been sleeping. “Hey, go back to sleep. You need to save your strength.” He said quietly. Theo blinked sluggishly up at him and made a soft noise, settling back down almost immediately. Stiles watched the shallow rise and fall of his chest for a moment, reminding himself that Theo was still alive and hanging on, before he continued his path across the room. They were running out of time. Theo was getting weaker by the minute and Stiles wasn’t confident that he would last. He was already deathly pale, bags forming under his eyes, and it was getting hard for him to move around. He hadn’t known it was possible to deteriorate so rapidly but then again, he had no idea how much time was actually passing.

_“Stiles…”_ Lydia’s voice echoed from somewhere down a nearby tunnel and he shivered, taking a step closer as she repeated his name. He shot an anxious glance at Theo and walked over, lightly touching his arm. Glassy green eyes cracked open to peer up at him and he smiled weakly.

“You keep sleeping, okay? I’m just going to take a look around.” Stiles murmured. “I won’t be gone for long.”

“Better not be.” Theo mumbled, his eyes already drifting shut. “If the ghost riders come for your scrawny ass I need to be able to protect you.”

“Like you could take them on.” Stiles snorted softly. Theo forced his eyes open again, grinning weakly.

“I could take on one more than you.” He said with a quiet confidence.

“Sure buddy. You keep telling yourself that.” Stiles squeezed his arm and stepped back, watching Theo slip back into unconsciousness. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steel himself before he started walking, breezing through the rooms to try and find the right one.

_“Liam!” Theo cupped his hands around his mouth, rolling his eyes as he continued walking through the preserve. He laughed softly, shaking his head with a fond smile. “Come on, little wolf. You know I can’t keep up.” He said as he moved around a fallen tree. A branch snapped several yards away and then soft footsteps crunched through the fresh autumn leaves, bringing the werewolf closer to him. He knew Liam could have been silent in his approach but he was looking out for him, making sure he didn’t startle him too badly because of his heart. Something warm fluttered in Theo’s chest as he turned, watching his soulmate step closer. “Have a nice run?”_

_“Sorry.” Liam flushed lightly, joy radiating off of him. “I got a little carried away.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “I don’t get to do this with humans that often.” His grin widened as Theo laughed and punched him in the arm._

_“Of course I was saddled with a werewolf for a soulmate. Just my luck.” He winked playfully and Liam stepped closer, his cheeks still rosy._

_“About that…” he said slowly._

_“If you try and tell me that you can’t be my soulmate then I’m kicking your ass.” Theo warned, his heart lurching almost painfully._

_“No!” Liam’s eyes went wide and he put his hands on Theo’s shoulders, rapidly shaking his head. “Absolutely not. I shouldn’t have started with that. I just meant...now that everything is settled and things are back to normal...I’d really like it if we could do this as more than friends.”_

_“Do what?” Theo asked around the sudden lump in his throat. “Walk around the woods together?”_

_“If you want.” Liam bit his lip. “I was thinking maybe we could do the whole dating thing. Together.”_

_“Oh good. I was worried you meant see other people.” Theo joked. Liam rolled his eyes and he smirked, leaning in to kiss the beta on the cheek. “I’d like that, Liam. I really would.”_

_“Sure you don’t want to see other people?” Liam teased. Theo tossed back his head and laughed, grinning madly at his new boyfriend as he hooked his arms around his neck._

_“Nah, Dunbar. I think you might be the one and only for me.”_

“Liam…” Theo whispered, shuddering lightly as something shook him from his sleep. He blinked slowly up at the figure leaning over him, working his mouth to try and speak. “Liam?”

“Not quite, Theo.” A warm, concerned voice said gently. “It’s Melissa. Scott’s mom?”

“Oh.” Theo nodded weakly and blinked a few more times to bring her into focus. “Hey, look, it’s my second mom.” He croaked, smiling tiredly. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, you know, just hanging around.” She laughed softly and the sound warmed him. “You’re not looking so good, kiddo? How are you holding up?”

“Pardon my French but this fucking sucks.” Theo confessed. “Melissa...it hurts. I’m not breathing too well right now.” He swallowed slowly and grimaced as his saliva went down wrong, resulting in a coughing fit. He rolled onto his side and curled up, body jerking with each cough until he was finally done. His breath wheezed out and he groaned, closing his eyes again.

“Theo, I need you to stay conscious. Your skin is turning blue.” Melissa said, stroking her fingers gently along his forehead. “I need you to roll onto your back and draw your knees up to your chest so we can adjust the flow of oxygen. Can you do that for me?” He nodded weakly and shuffled around with her help, doing as instructed.

“I feel like a turtle.” He mumbled, laughing weakly and then coughing again. “Fuck. If this is what dying feels like then I need to not do that. It hurts so much.” He whined softly and Melissa flinched, combing her fingers back through his hair. “Melissa…” he slowly straightened his legs back out and grabbed her hand, squeezing gently. “I need you...I need you to tell him for me.”

“Oh no. Don’t you dare start asking for last requests, Theodore.” Melissa went into full mom mode. “That young man has been driving himself to the brink of disaster looking for you and he’s not losing you a second time.”

“Please don’t fight me on this.” Theo murmured as his eyes slid shut again. “I just...I need him to know. You know?” He huffed out a tired laugh. “I love him. Make sure he knows, okay?” His breath hitched and he reached up, covering his heart with another soft groan. “Fuck. It hurts.” Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. He didn’t bother fighting them, too tired to do anything else at that point. Beside him, he heard Melissa speak softly to someone else and he let himself drift, hoping his dreams would take him back to Liam.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reunion you've been waiting for.

The power went out in the hospital as Liam reached the main floor. Flickering lights in the elevator cast grim shadows over him as he stepped forward, working to wedge his fingers between the slim gap in the door. He forced it open and the metal groaned, giving in to his demands as he slipped free. He slowly made his way down the main hall, listening intently for any sign of the ghost riders. As he neared the reception desk, a clattering noise caught his attention. It was almost familiar, something raising its head in the far depths of his memory. He pressed on and found himself looking up at a train station board, the names flipping rapidly on the top panel before stopping on Beacon Hills. He placed the noise, remembering hearing people change placards like that when he was younger, visiting his dad at work. 

“I’ve got to tell Scott about this.” He muttered to himself, eyeing the board one more time before he jogged for the front doors. There was no sign of the ghost riders and for a moment, he was filled with relief. The illusion of peace was quickly shattered as he saw train tracks leading into the distance. “What the hell…” he frowned and started down the road, following them. Perhaps the end of this would reveal some kind of explanation as to why there was a train station in the hospital. He tried to suppress a scoff at that, rolling his eyes. It was Beacon Hills. Was there ever a logical explanation for anything in this town?

He wasn’t all that surprised to find himself at the school. He looped around the side of the building to find more tracks on the lacrosse field and another board with times on it replacing the scoreboard. “Finstock would be pissed,” he muttered with a half smile as he doubled back across the parking lot. Five yards in, a burning sensation filled his left wrist and he gasped, cradling his hand to his chest as he peered down at that. The bruises were darker, the blurred lines of letters beginning to form. “Theo?” He swallowed hard and looking around the mostly empty parking lot. A blue truck sat a few feet away, nothing out of the ordinary about it yet Liam found himself drawn to the vehicle. He walked over and opened the door with ease, surprised to find that it wasn’t locked. Yet another mystery.

As soon as the door opened, Liam was hit with his scent. It was stale but familiar, wafting out and inviting him in for answers. Climbing in, he eased the door shut and closed his eyes. Why was his scent so prominent in this truck? He didn’t think he’d ever been inside of it yet it felt as though he had been in it countless times in the past. He turned his body to face the driver’s seat, drawing his knees up against his chest. “Theo...I’m still having a hard time remembering you.” He whispered. “I can picture your face and I can almost hear your voice. I’m trying. I just...I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do.” Tears welled in his eyes and he set his chin on his knees, exhaling shakily. “I feel like I’m just letting you down. I keep letting everyone down.” He whispered.

_ The anger burned under his skin, igniting in his veins and spreading a fast path through his body. He grit his teeth as the clock ticked slowly on the wall, the seconds dragging until he could finally escape. It was stupid. Part of him knew that. He couldn’t remember what had triggered the anger but he knew that he needed to get away before he hurt someone. He could feel Mason’s concerned gaze and it only added to his agitation. His best friend had enough to worry about, he didn’t need Liam added to the list. _

_ The sharp sound of the bell cut into the room and Liam grabbed his bag, already halfway out the door when Mason called his name. He ignored his best friend and kept his head down, the blood rushing in his ears as he shouldered his way roughly through the throng of student bodies. “The sun, the moon, the truth.” He growled under his breath, stumbling into someone just outside of the building. A familiar heartbeat stuttered and he snapped his head up, digging his claws into his skin as he looked up with bright yellow eyes. _

_ “Shit, Liam.” Theo muttered. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.” He grabbed the werewolf by the arm, tugging him toward the parking lot. Liam barely managed not to rip off the door of his truck as he pulled it open, practically throwing himself into the vehicle. “You got a place in mind?” Theo asked as he slammed his door shut, shoving keys into his ignition. _

_ “Just drive,” Liam snarled as he raised yellow eyes to look at him. He hunched his shoulders and looked down, trying desperately to make his mantra work. The words brought no sense of peace or comfort and he growled in frustration. The road seemed to come to an end far too quickly and he didn’t bother looking at his surroundings, shoving the door open and spilling out onto the ground. He slammed his fist against the ground once, twice, and then a third time with a heated snarl.  _

_ “Liam.” Theo spoke his name softly from behind him and Liam turned, baring his fangs in warning as the human approached. “Dude. If you bite me, I’m punching you in the face.” He said before kneeling down, clapping a hand on his shoulder without hesitation. “Take a deep breath.” He said, digging his thumb firmly into his muscle. Liam took a shallow breath, watching Theo roll his eyes. “Deeper, Liam. Come on. I know you can do it.” He encouraged in a soothing voice. He lifted his other hand and slowly brought it closer, cupping Liam’s cheek. “You’re okay. You’re safe.” He said quietly. Liam swallowed down a shuddering breath and found himself leaning into the touch, all the fight draining out of him inch by inch. Leaning down, he found himself pressing his face against Theo’s shoulder and breathing in his scent. Theo smelled like honeysuckles and lavender mixed in with something earthen that was inherently his own. It was buried beneath layers of medicine and disease but it was there.  _

_ “I’m sorry.” Liam mumbled into his shoulder as the last of his rage began to dissipate. The guilt immediately reared its ugly head and he hid himself, feeling small and defeated as he curled into the other boy. “I didn’t want you to ever see me like that.” He whispered. _

_ “I don’t care. It’s your IED, right?” Theo asked, sitting fully on the ground now. He slowly shifted Liam around until he was sideways against his chest and began combing his fingers through Liam’s hair.  _

_ “The worst part of me.” Liam whispered. “You could have been hurt. I could have…” Bile rose in his throat and wet trails moved down his cheeks. “You can’t do things like that.” _

_ “Like hell I can’t.” Theo gently squeezed the back of his neck. “Liam. You’re my soulmate and right now, one of my best friends. If we’re going to be together then I’m going to see this side of you. I’m going to have to know how to handle you when you’re upset and angry and it’s not your fault. So please don’t blame yourself for getting angry. Because I don’t. And you would never hurt me. I’m pretty confident about that.” _

_ “How can you be so sure?” Liam asked weakly. “I always let people down.” Gentle fingers curled under his chin and forced him to look up into golden green eyes.  _

_ “I know because it’s you. You haven’t let me down. You’re just hard on yourself. You’re still a new werewolf, right? And with your IED on top of it? I’m most proud of you because you’re doing so well. I don’t know how you handle it but you do.” Theo smiled gently and Liam nodded slowly, shifting closer again to press his face to Theo’s neck.  _

_ “Thank you.” _

“Dammit!” Liam spammed his palm against the seat in frustration, swiping his eyes against his shoulder. “Theo, where are you?” He felt another burn in his wrist and dragged his nails over it, a bitten off scream escaping him. Shuddering sobs overtook him and he curled into a tight ball, hugging himself as he wept freely for his lost memories and a green-eyed boy that might be dead. 

_ The alarm went off and Theo groaned, flopping dramatically onto his back. “I don’t want to take more medicine.” He complained as he sat up from his homework on Liam’s bed. Liam smiled softly, used to hearing the complaint from the other boy. He got to his feet and grabbed the water bottle he’d started to keep on his nightstand, handing it to Theo before kneeling beside his book bag. He found the bottle of pills tucked in the front pocket and pulled it out, holding it in his outstretched hand. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” Theo took the bottle and grabbed the front of Liam’s shirt loosely, keeping him close. His gaze dropped for a split second and that was the only warning he had.  _

_ Soft lips pressed into his own and he closed his eyes, leaning in so Theo didn’t have to try and strain his neck. He gently kissed back, one hand cupping Theo’s cheek while the other carefully caught hold of his wrist where Theo still held his shirt. He kept the kiss careful and slow, breaking it when he felt Theo’s pulse start to thrum against his fingers. “You just kissed me.” He murmured, his lips buzzing as he touched his forehead to Theo’s. “Our first kiss.” He added, grinning fondly.  _

_ “I need to do that more often.” Theo huffed breathlessly against his lips. He went in for another kiss and Liam gently leaned back, a soft chuckle escaping him. “Liam,” Theo whined pitifully.  _

_ “Medicine first.” Liam reminded.  _

_ “I think I prefer kissing you instead. You’re the only medicine I need.” Theo smirked and Liam rolled his eyes.  _

_ “You’re such a dork.” _

_ “Yeah but I’m your dork. You’re stuck with me.” Theo grinned and leaned in, pressing two quick kisses to Liam’s lips. “Them’s the rules, sunshine. I don’t make them but I follow them.” _

_ “You’re the worst troublemaker I know next to Stiles.” Liam snorted softly. “All you do is break rules and get into trouble.” _

_ “You take that back.” Theo fake gasped, bringing a hand to his chest. “I am a law abiding citizen good sir and I won’t stand for this!” _

_ “Drama king.” Liam rubbed their noses together. “I can think of a way to shut you up.” As Theo leaned back in to chase his lips, he pulled back and lifted the bottle for a kiss instead. “Pills. First.” _

_ “I take it back. I don’t want to be stuck with you. Think I can get a refund on this soulmate thing?” Theo’s eyes crinkled and Liam rolled his eyes, pushing Theo back onto the bed gently. “If you’re trying to have sex with me, it won’t work. I’ll have you know I’m a-“ Whatever he was going to say was cut off by Liam’s next kiss. Theo grinned and stopped fighting him, pressing a few more kisses to his skin before he leaned back to swallow down his pill.  _

Liam punched the seat again and again, desperate sobs escaping him with each hit. His heart raced angrily in his chest, threatening with each harsh beat to finally burst. The nausea he’d been fighting returned in full force and he pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes, a scream tearing from his lips. Wailing and screaming, he let himself lose the control that had been hanging on by a loose thread. Nothing was happening. He was remembering pieces of Theo but there was no green light, no silhouette of a boy like the sheriff had described. Bitterness filled him as a sick sense of envy spread through him like poison. Why had the sheriff been able to do it but not Liam? Why wasn’t a soulmate connection just as strong, if not  _ stronger _ , than that of a father and son? 

He swallowed down another sob and trembled, lifting his head as he started to unfurl. Sitting here and crying was getting nothing accomplished. He couldn’t keep doing this to himself, he had to find Scott and warn him about the train tracks. Maybe, just maybe, they had been successful in bringing Stiles back. Maybe he had Theo with him and that was why this wasn’t working. He didn’t believe it, not deep down, but it was enough to motivate him into leaving the vehicle. He stroked his fingers across the paint for just a moment before he started to run, hurrying for the bunker. Time was running out one way or the other. 

-

“Corey!” Theo’s brow furrowed in confusion as he heard a familiar voice nearby. “Corey, please!” 

“Mason…?” Theo weakly opened his eyes, wincing slightly. “Mason?” He raised his voice slightly, trembling fingers pushing into the bench as he tried to sit himself up. “Mason.” It took too much effort to shout but hurried footsteps told him that perhaps his murmurs hadn’t been in vain. 

“Theo? Oh thank god, you’re still alive.” Hayden knelt in front of him and he nodded weakly, struggling to keep his eyes open. “Theo? Theo, stay with me.” Gentle hands shook him and he snapped his eyes open, wheezing softly. Had he passed out again. For a moment, he thought he could hear someone calling for him and asking where he was. But it was gone just as quickly. 

“Mason….” Theo reached up slowly and touched his arm, trying to get his attention. “Corey...Corey they...they have…” A coughing fit took him by surprise, stealing his breath. He doubled over and spat on the floor, his vision blurred as he saw the specks of red hit the floor. “Fuck…”

“Theo?” Hayden’s voice rose in volume. 

“You...you have to find Corey.” Theo forced himself to sit up with what little strength he still possessed, swallowing hard. “I’m fine. I’m okay, I swear.” Neither one called him on the lie. 

“Theo, we had your medicine. We were so close.” Hayden whimpered and he looked up with tired eyes, cracking a smile. 

“Don’t you start worrying about me. Corey needs your help right now.” Theo leaned into her touch, shivering as he watched black lines crawl across his skin. “No. Stop.” He pushed at her weakly. “Save it for Corey. I’m fine. I’m…” He couldn’t say it again, not when his friends were starting to cry. “Guys…”

“We had your medicine. But then I lost my bag in the fight and Mason…”

“The pills burned in my hand. There was nothing but dust when we were here. Fuck!” Mason hit the bench in frustration and Theo laughed weakly. 

“You think pills can save me now?” He shook his head tiredly. “It’s okay. You need to go find Corey. I sent Melissa and Argent but...they haven’t come back. Maybe they found him. Might be where Stiles went too.” He murmured weakly. 

“We’re not leaving you.” Hayden whispered. 

“If you don’t, Corey might die. I’m not watching someone else die. I can’t live with that.” Theo laughed again, the sound somewhat bitter. Was he even going to live? “Go find him. Hayden, please. Mason will need your help and I can’t fucking do it. I tried to follow Melissa and the rooms keep spinning and shifting. I don’t know what…” He shook his head and laid back down carefully, his eyes already shut. “Just let me go…”

“You are not dying on us. We’re going to find Corey and...and bring him right back to you. You hear me?” Mason demanded. Theo nodded, at least he thought he did, and silence fell again. 

-

Liam’s legs ached as he finally reached the bunker, exhaustion making his entire body throb in pain. For a moment, he wondered if this kind of pain was constant in Theo’s life. If every bit of exercise made his chest constrict like an anvil was sitting on it. He shoved the thought away violently, shaking his head to clear it. He needed to focus on getting to Scott, every second lost in thought was wasted when he had a mission. He slid to a halt in front of the door to the bunker, reaching it just as Scott attempted to pull it shut. “Liam?” His alpha frowned in confusion.

“There’s something you need to see,” Liam said breathlessly. 

“You’re still here.” Scott murmured in awe.

“But everyone else is gone,” Liam said. “All of them. They’re gone.” His voice rose in pitch as he pictured the sheriff vanishing and Josh smirking as the doors closed on him. “Look, you have to come with me.” He pleaded.

“What is it?”

“I-I can’t explain it. I have to show you.” Liam stuttered out. 

“All right.” Scott nodded and turned to Malia and Lydia, swallowing. “You guys stay here. Just in case.”

“In case Stiles comes back?” Malia asked hesitantly. 

“If there’s any hope. You need to keep trying.” Scott said before he turned, shutting the door and following Liam out. “Let’s go.” He said, following after his beta. Liam took a deep breath and started to sprint again, begging his body to keep going just a little longer. He could rest when this was over but right now he needed to push past all of his limits. It still took half an hour to reach the hospital and by then, black spots pressed in at the edges of Liam’s vision. He forced himself to slow down and led Scott inside along the train tracks, his jaw tightening as they walked inside. “This is happening everywhere?” Scott asked.

“Here, the school, lacrosse field…” Liam said, shaking his head slightly as they walked further down the hall.

“What does this mean?” Scott frowned and started to turn back. A chilling voice halted him and Liam in their tracks, making their hair stand on end.

“It means,” Douglas began from behind them, “it’s working.” He smiled coldly at them and Liam bared his human teeth, lips twisting in a snarl at the man. Douglas chuckled, his eyes flashing a bizarre green as he shifted and roared. Scott answered in kind, wolfing out alongside Liam. 

“He can’t take both of us?” Liam didn’t mean for it to be a question but he didn’t know how they were supposed to take on the older man. Not when he had the abilities of three supernatural creatures at his disposal and…

“No way.” Scott said just as Parrish was called by Douglas. The two turned slowly to find him waiting, his skin pulsing with the same green of Douglas’ eyes as he began to burn. “Parrish.” Scott backed away, holding his hands out in front of him. “Parrish, you don’t want to do this. Stop!”

“The train is coming, boys. There’s no stopping the Wild Hunt.” Douglas smirked and began to approach, surrounding them. “You’ll make a fine ghost rider, Scott. And I’ll have a true alpha by my side.”

“Parrish! Stop!” Scott roared, panic in his voice as he shifted nervously. Liam turned his body so he could see both the hellhound and the physics teacher, snarling.

“And then a banshee, a werecoyote…” Douglas continued as he stepped closer.

“A Stiles.” 

“What?” Douglas turned his head just as a baseball bat struck him across the shoulders, knocking him to the ground. 

“Bad guy, right? I didn’t misread that?” Stiles grinned weakly at his friends and Douglas started to move, sending him scurrying and stumbling over to them. He jumped to the side just as Liam and Scott grabbed Parrish, tossing him into the rising Nazi. They toppled to the ground and Stiles dropped his bat, rushing forward and hugging Scott fiercely. “Oh buddy. Oh man. Oh, it’s so good to see you.” Stiles breathed out.

Liam looked down the hall at where Parrish was getting to his feet, his eyes widening as fire began to envelop the hellhound. “Hey, hey, uh…” he rapidly smacked Stiles and Scott on their arms, trying to gain their attention. 

“Liam!” Stiles beamed and let go of Scott, pulling him in for a hug. “It’s so good to see you too!”

“Yeah, no yeah. It’s great to see you too Stiles,” Liam agreed as he patted Stiles quickly on the back. “But, uh…” He pointed urgently back toward Parrish, thankful that Scott was finally starting to look. Stiles turned as Parrish wrapped himself in gold and orange flames, agreeing they needed to leave before they started to run. Liam felt the heat scorch his back as they turned the corner, singing the hairs on his arms. He hissed and kept running, following the pair down another hall that led to the stairs. 

Stiles turned just before they reached them, glancing at the sign beside the door before going into the room. “Can’t believe I’m gone a couple of days at the whole place falls apart,” he complained loudly over his shoulder.

“No, you were gone for three months.” Scott corrected. Stiles stumbled through the doorway, his eyes wide as he looked between them.

“I was...what?” He whispered. How was that even possible? “Holy shit…” he uttered weakly. How the hell had Theo survived for that long on a handful of pills? No wonder he had deteriorated so quickly, time was still passing in both realms. “If they don’t let me graduate, I swear to god…” he mumbled as he crossed the hall into the next room. He had to do this first, they had to stop Parrish before they could find a way to get back to Theo.

“What are you looking for?” Liam asked, watching him.

“Ah! This!” Stiles emerged triumphantly from the room with a canister of liquid nitrogen. “And him,” he nodded as Parrish came around the corner. “Grab him. Grab him, now.” He urged. Liam shared a look with Scott before they rushed forward in unison, grabbing him by the arms and throwing him up against the wall. He could feel the fire starting to blister his skin, his clothes smoking slightly as he tightened his hold on the snapping hellhound. Stiles opened fire with the liquid nitrogen and slowly Parrish’s flames died out as he collapsed onto the floor. He blinked slowly up at them, regarding Stiles with confusion. Liam sprang back and began patting himself off with tiny squeaks of pain, pouting as Stiles scoffed at him. 

“God, that doesn’t feel good, you know?” Liam muttered as he hit his arms a few more times to make sure every trace of fire was gone. 

“Stiles?” Parrish frowned. “What are you doing here?” He asked, struggling to catch his breath. 

“Buddy, love you, but we’re way past that.” Stiles told him. “You gotta fill us in. What’s going on?”

“Douglas...he’s merging the worlds,” he began to explain as Scott and Liam stepped forward to help him back onto his feet. “So the ghost riders can cross over.”

“Yeah, he wants his supernatural army in our world.” Liam said quietly. 

“How do we stop him?” Scott asked, turning back to face Parrish. 

“The train. It’s coming.” Parris replied.

“Okay. How do we stop that?” Scott asked, brow furrowing.

“You can’t stop it. But you can divert it.” Parrish told them. “Douglas...was following the tracks. I think that’s how we divert it. I don’t know where it is.” He confessed.

“We’ll figure it out. There were more tracks at the school.” Liam suggested. “Scott, we need to go. We need to stop this now before it’s too late.”

“What about you?” The true alpha glanced at Parrish and the hellhound waved him off, smiling weakly.

“I’ll live. Now go kick some Nazi ass.” 

“You heard the man. Let’s go.” Stiles said, clapping Liam on the arm and steering him away. “Listen, there’s something I need to tell you.” He said quietly as they started to walk. Scott lingered a few feet behind to give them a little privacy. 

“He’s not dead.” Liam growled immediately, his eyes flashing in warning to Stiles. “I know he isn’t. He can’t be. I can remember him.” He held up his wrist, broken splotches of black ink spelling something out. “It’s his name. I’m so close.”

“Liam, it’s...he’s really bad.” Stiles said softly as he watched the younger boy. “He was having a hard time staying conscious. I don’t...I don’t know what kind of shape you’re going to find him in.”

“How did you get back? Why did you leave him?” Liam whispered, his voice breaking as tears filled his eyes. 

“Lydia was calling me. I...I had to follow her voice. Believe me, I didn’t want to just leave him. But I thought I could reach Lydia and get back to you. Then we could come back for him. He’s going to make it. He’s a tough son of a bitch, you know that?” Stiles laughed weakly. “I don’t know how you do it. How you stay so strong. He’s not even my boyfriend and I was freaking out constantly. He kept passing out, he was barely conscious.” He admitted, frowning as Liam stumbled to a halt. “Liam?”

“That’s why he didn’t come back. Right? It...it has to be.” Liam ground his teeth as a few tears fell. Of course Theo had been unconscious when he’d been screaming for him. How could he answer when he wasn’t awake? “I have to get to him.” He said as they turned down the street, pushing his hands back through his hair in frustration. “I have to find him. There’s not a lot of time.”

“You will.” Stiles said gently. The rest of their trip to the school passed in silence, each member lost in thought. It wasn’t until they reached their destination that Stiles paused, head tilted in consideration. “Okay, how the hell do you merge worlds? Nowhere in the supernatural manual does it say that werewolves can do that. Scott and I pretty much wrote the freaking manual.”

“We can’t even move between them.” Scott said. Liam jerked to a halt, his eyes widening in realization. Scott was right. None of them were able to move between worlds. No one except…

“Corey.” Liam whispered. “Of course. Scott, we can’t move between worlds. But Corey can. He can exist in both worlds.”

“And he can take people with him.” Scott said slowly. Liam nodded quickly, relieved he wouldn’t have to explain it all. If Douglas was using Corey somehow to merge the worlds then theoretically the same thing could be reversed. Maybe Corey was the key to bringing everyone back. He definitely owed the chimera an apology and the world’s greatest burrito. 

“At Scott’s house, he pulled a ghost rider into our world.” He explained to Stiles who looked as though they’d tried telling him aliens were somehow involved. 

“And at the lacrosse game, he brought us into theirs.”

“What if that’s how Douglas is doing it? What if Corey’s the key?” Liam said, his blood pumping faster. He had to get to Corey. And by getting to Corey…

“Interesting theory, okay? Solid logic.” Stiles said. “It is. But he’s in there and we’re out here. So the only way to save everyone now is to just divert the train.”

“We have to find him.” Liam insisted. That might be their only shot at saving everyone. Diverting the train wasn’t guaranteed to magically fix everything. They had to try.

“How?”

“I’m going into the hunt.” Liam said, looking around for a corner. The faint imprint of hoofprints caught his attention and he trailed them with his eyes, realizing exactly where they led. As Scott and Stiles debated the merits of his plan, he looked up with more confidence. “I don’t need to get taken to get into the hunt.” He grinned before he started running, promising to be back as he sprinted for the lacrosse field. 

He took the stairs three at a time, hoping a higher vantage point would give him exactly what he needed. He ran to the railing and looked around, relief filling him as he saw the horse. “I hate horses,” he sighed to himself. He took a couple of steps back, preparing to vaul himself over the railing. Just as he was ready to jump, a hand wrapped around his throat and dragged him back. He thrashed as the ghost rider maneuvered his arm around Liam’s throat, cutting off his circulation and attempting to force him onto his knees. He jabbed his elbow back a few times, hearing someone grunt from behind him before he was ripped free of his assailant. He stumbled back against the railing with his hand at his throat, wheezing slightly as he looked up in surprise. “Hey, you made it out!”

“Yeah, barely!” Josh growled as he slashed open the ghost rider’s throat and put him in a headlock. “What’s the plan?”

“Steal a horse and get into the Wild Hunt!” 

“You’re kidding, right?” Josh continued to struggle with the dying ghost rider. “I went through all of this to keep you from being taken.”

“You need a hand?” Liam frowned, taking a half step closer.

“I’m good.” Josh huffed and adjusted his grip, snapping the neck of his victim. “Then go already. Go!” He snarled, swearing through his teeth as he finally dropped the body and tossed it to the side. 

Liam glanced back for a moment before rushing to the railing, vaulting himself over it without second thought. He hit the ground beside the horse and grabbed the reins before it had time to run, jumping onto its back and shifting in the saddle. The horse snorted and pawed at the ground, beginning to turn in circles as he tried to figure out which way to hold the reins. “You know how to ride a horse?” Josh called from the story above him.

“Not really.” Liam confessed, thinking back to summer camp when he’d been bitten by one as a kid. He hadn’t gone near them since. “Wish me luck!” He called over his shoulder before guiding the horse in what he hoped was the right direction. “Hang on, Theo. I’m coming.” He whispered as the horse took control, seeming to know exactly where he needed to go. The closer they got to the barrier, the more intense the pain in his left wrist became. He blinked back tears, silently praying that he wasn’t too late.

_ “So soulmates?” Theo tapped his finger lightly against the table as Liam sat down across from him at the library table. “Does that freak you out?” He asked, keeping his gaze fixed on the table. _

_ “No?” Liam questioned slowly as he watched the other boy. They’d only known each other for two weeks now, not long enough to be close friends but Liam couldn’t deny a sense of belonging he felt when he was around Theo. To think that the other boy didn’t feel it… “Are you upset by it?” He asked softly. _

_ “It’s not...it’s not that.” Theo sighed, his shoulders deflating as he looked up at Liam with sad eyes. “Liam...you’re a cool guy. I actually really like you as a person. The thing is…” _

_ “You’re not into guys?” Liam asked. It wouldn’t be so surprising. He’d heard of soulmates struggling sometimes because they weren’t out of the closet yet or because they were in denial. Personally, he’d come to terms with it the moment he was old enough to understand the meaning behind the name on his wrist. It didn’t mean Theo felt the same way. _

_ “What? No, stop putting words in my mouth.” Theo frowned up at him. “I’m just not sure you and I should get that close.” He scratched lightly at his wrist, glancing away. Liam slowly moved his hand across the table and gently pulled Theo’s hand away. _

_ “Why not?” _

_ “Because I’m sick, Liam. You got saddled with a soulmate that’s going to die.” He exhaled sharply as Liam flinched. “I don’t want to put you through that kind of pain.” _

_ “Don’t I get a say in the matter?” Liam asked gently.  _

_ “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I...I’m sorry. I have to go.” Theo pulled his hand back and stood up, grabbing his bag and hurrying from the library. Liam could only stare after him, his heart aching as he watched his soulmate disappear.  _

Tears blurred Liam’s vision as he urged the horse to go faster, feeling the storm mounting around them. “You asshole.” He whispered as the memories started to flood back to him. They fell into place as though they had never been missing, slotting perfectly into place and filling any holes Theo’s absence had left behind.

_ “Liam, where are you taking me?” Theo laughed as Liam parked his car, turning to grin at his boyfriend. “I thought we were going on a date.” He gestured to the abandoned condo building they were in front of, tilting his head in confusion. _

_ “We are. Don’t you trust me?” Liam batted his eyes innocently and Theo snorted, gently pushing at his shoulder. “Come on. This will be fun.” He promised, climbing out of the car. He slid over the hood of his car and stumbled off, hitting the ground just as Theo opened the door and climbed out. “Hey, I was going to do that for you.” He pouted up at him. _

_ “My bad.” Theo smirked and closed the door again, pressing down on the lock. _

_ “I was being a gentleman!” Liam exclaimed, unlocking it with his keys. He grinned and grabbed Theo by the waist, pulling him out as his human started to laugh and wrapped his arms around his neck. _

_ “Liam, put me down!” He grinned breathlessly and Liam smirked, dropping him carefully and planting a soft kiss on his lips. “What are we doing here?” _

_ “You’ll see. We have to climb a little but I swear it will be worth it.” Liam promised, taking him by the hand and leading him around the building. He slowed down as they reached a ladder, pointing to the top. “It’s up there.” _

_ “Liam…” Theo eyed the ladder doubtfully, his heart skipping a beat. He found himself nodding and started to climb, Liam encouraging him softly the entire way out. It was barely two stories but it was enough to wind Theo and he huffed for breath at the top, resting his hands on his knees. Liam came up behind him and rubbed his back gently before taking his hand, leading him to the middle of the roof. “What…” Theo wheezed slightly as he looked up, stunned to find an inviting nest of pillows and blankets waiting for them. “Liam…” _

_ “Mason helped me out. We probably just missed him.” Liam rubbed the back of his neck and guided Theo closer, helping him sit. “I know how much you like to look at the stars. I thought maybe you’d like to look at them out in the open for once where the lights of the city can’t bother the view.” He set his palm on Theo’s neck, thick black lines slowly traveling up Liam’s arm. “Better?” He asked softly. _

_ “Always with you.” Theo leaned in, slowly pressing their lips together. He pushed Liam gently down onto his back and settled down against his chest, letting his eyes drift shut as Liam’s fingers slid through his hair. “Have I mentioned how amazing you are?” _

_ “I’m sure that can be mentioned on the second date.” Liam chuckled fondly. “I think you’re the amazing one.” He wrapped his arms loosely around Theo, perfectly content to hold him as they gazed up at the stars together. _

“Theo, please, just hold on.” Liam begged quietly as he broke through the barrier and found himself racing down a tunnel on horseback. “I remember now. I remember everything. I’m so fucking sorry I ever forgot. I’ll spend everyday making it up to you if you just hold on for me.” He pleaded aloud, feeling his heart break as he feared for the worst. 

_ “Remember…” Theo let out a wet laugh, leaning closer. Liam didn’t understand what was happening to his boyfriend. Why was he crying? Why did he look as though someone was trying to rip out his heart? “Remember how you were the first guy I talked to at school here? Remember how you offered me a tour of the school? How you convinced me to come and watch you play lacrosse because you said studying was boring?” Liam laughed weakly in response and Theo’s breath hitched. “How you saved my life from the beast?” Of course Liam remembered that terrifying moment. He’d thought for sure that he was going to lose Theo to blood loss.  _

_ “You saved my life too.” Liam whispered, tightening his hold on Theo’s hand until his knuckles were white. “You’re my anchor, Theo.”  _

_ “I know.” Theo shifted and pressed their foreheads together, shuddering again. “Just remember...remember I love you.” Liam nodded weakly and felt Theo’s lips against his own, brushing them in a featherlight kiss. The moment was fleeting and before he could respond, Theo was ripped from him. The door to the truck slammed shut and Theo was gone. _

_ “No no no.” Liam whined, tears streaming down his cheeks as he stared at the empty space next to him. “Theo no, please.” He cried brokenly, reaching for the space that was no longer warm. His gaze dropped to his left wrist, the fingers of his right hand coming up to brush over Theo’s name. “I won’t forget you. I’ll remember.” _

The screams of terrified people broke Liam from his train of thought as he entered the train station, his eyes scanning the room rapidly. “Theo?” He called out as he jumped down from horseback. “Theo?”

“Liam!” Hayden launched herself at him, laughing in delight. “Oh thank god. Theo...he...he…” 

“You have to go find him.  _ Now _ .” Mason urged as he pushed Liam toward another doorway. “He’s barely hanging on. Tell me you have the fucking pills.”

“I…” Liam’s eyes widened. Hadn’t Josh taken the last bag? He’d stolen them in the elevator, holding them up just as the doors shut. “No.” Liam ground his teeth, shoving his hands into his pockets. His fingers brushed against the bottle and his breathing hitched. “Oh fuck…” he turned and stumbled for the doorway Mason had pointed at, bursting through it. “Theo? Theo?!” He shouted as he began running through the rooms, trying desperately to find his human. He couldn’t be too late.

He stumbled through another door and the smell of familiarity hit him full force, coupled with the thick scent of death. “Theo...Theo no.” He moaned as he rushed to the benches, falling to his knees on the blood splattered floor. He lifted Theo’s cold hand, tears burning in his eyes as he gripped his hand for dear life. “You can’t leave me like this. Please don’t leave. I need you.” 

“Hey there, sunshine.” Dark green eyes fluttered open and a weak smile was directed at him. “Thought you’d never find me here.” He laughed wetly, blood flecking the corners of his lips. “It didn’t hurt, you know.”

“What…” Liam whispered, his eyes widening. 

“Dying. I thought...I thought it would be worse.” Theo groaned softly. “Wasn’t it supposed to make the pain stop? I swear I didn’t do enough to be sent to hell. I always said I’d give back Mason’s stuff.”

“You stole from Mason?” Liam laughed quietly, squeezing Theo’s hand tightly. 

“Yeah I-” Theo frowned, squinting up at him. “You’re crying. I thought angels weren’t supposed to cry.”

“I’m not your angel.” Liam laughed again, relief swelling through him. “You aren’t dead, you moron.” It felt so easy and natural to fall into playful insults, as easy as breathing. “I found you.” He whispered before leaning in, pressing his lips to Theo’s. He shuddered as he began drawing out his pain, feeling the burn through his body as he took everything he could. He set his hand over Theo’s heart, feeling the weak beat begin to grow steadier as he took more and more pain. He forced himself to pull back before he took too much, breathing heavily as he leaned his forehead against Theo’s. “I brought your medicine.”

“My hero.” Theo grinned up at him, tears burning in his eyes. “I’m really not dead?”

“I wouldn’t let that happen to you.” Liam pulled the pill bottle from his pocket, opening it and pressing two pills into Theo’s hand. “I thought you could use this.”

“When I’m not feeling like shit, we’re going to have to talk about your timing. Thought it was always medicine first and then a kiss?” Theo joked lightly as he lifted his head far enough to swallow down the pills. 

“I love you.” Liam murmured, stroking his fingers across Theo’s face. “I didn’t get to say it back. I’m so, so sorry. I wish it hadn’t taken me so long.”

“You’re here now.” Theo leaned closer and kissed the corner of his lips. “Liam, we have to find Corey. He...he’s in so much pain.” He started to get up and his knees buckled immediately. Strong arms wrapped around his waist and Liam lifted him up, cradling him against his chest.

“I’ve got you. Where is he?”

“The room with the intercom. They hooked him up to the machines there. Liam...it’s bad.” Theo leaned his head against his shoulder, closing his eyes again. “You’re going to have to leave me here. I’m going to slow you down.”

“I’m not leaving you ever again.” Liam growled, his eyes flashing. “You’re out of your mind.”

“Corey needs your undivided attention. You can leave me right here. Trust me, I’m not going anywhere any time soon.” Theo touched his jaw with trembling fingers. “I’m not dying today. Not now that you’re here. But Corey might be if you don’t get to him in time. Please. I really don’t want to beg.”

“I just got you back.” Liam whined, flexing his hold on Theo as he looked back at the bench where he’d found him. “If something happens…”

“I will scream and fight off every motherfucking ghost rider. Ask Stiles, I already fought one.” Theo laughed weakly and coughed. “Little wolf, it’s okay. I love you. I’m going to be fine.” It was the confidence in Theo’s heartbeat that convinced him. He slowly lowered him back onto the bench and leaned up, kissing him slowly before pulling back.

“I will be right back.” He promised, squeezing his hand as he stood up.

“I know. But hey, at least now I get to watch you leave.” Theo winked and Liam snorted softly, shaking his head as he turned and started back the way he had come. Theo gave him a reassuring smile each time he looked back and he nodded to himself, relieved as he hurried back to find Mason and Hayden. They could do this. 

“Go get ‘em, little wolf.” Theo whispered to himself as he watched Liam disappear through the doors. He spent the next few minutes sitting and focusing on his breathing, trying to keep himself calm. Corey’s voice continued over the intercom every minutes, counting down until there were only eight minutes left. “Just our luck.” Theo sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He got slowly to his feet, unable to keep himself put for much longer. What if Liam hadn’t found Corey yet? Obviously something was wrong, why else was he still speaking on the intercom? He took a few unsteady steps forward, stilling as he heard the people in the room begin to slowly rise. “Of fucking course,” he hissed as he turned to find three ghost riders heading his direction. 

“Fuck.” He started to run as best as he could, ignoring the flare of pain in his chest as he pushed through the doors closest to him. “Liam!” He cried out, stumbling and hitting his knees. He gritted his teeth and forced himself back up, hurrying through a second doorway. He made it through two more before he caught sight of Liam walking into the announcement room. “Liam!” He wheezed, coughing roughly as he swayed on his feet. The beta turned in confusion, his eyes widening as he took a step closer to him.

“Theo-no!” Liam screamed just as harsh fingers curled around Theo’s arm, bruising him to the bone. He looked up in surprise to find Mr. Douglas standing there, a smirk on his face as glowing green eyes watched Liam.

“I think it’s about time I tip the scale back in my favor, Mr. Dunbar.” The older man said, holding Theo firmly at his side.

“Mr. Douglas…?” Theo felt his head swim as he looked from the man to Liam. “What are you doing?”

“Let him go.” Liam snarled, flashing his eyes in warning as his fangs dropped. “He has nothing to do with this.”

“Perhaps not. But he is close to you and that is my only concern at the moment. You will cease trying to free Corey and let my plan fall into place. Or your little human here…” he flicked his claws out in his free hand, lightly dragging them across Theo’s throat. “It’s been a while since I’ve had someone so young. His pineal gland must be rich.” He smirked and stepped back, green smoke wrapping around himself and Theo. “Leave it be, Liam. Consider this your only warning.” He said before they disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

“No!” Liam rushed forward, tears of anger filling his eyes. He snarled and spun to face Hayden and Mason, his eyes glowing. “I have to-”

“Wait!” Hayden said, pursing her lips. “What are we supposed to do?”

“You can’t unplug him yet.” Liam said quickly, flinching as Mason let out a wounded noise. “I know how bad it looks. But you have to give Scott time to divert the train. It’s the only way to save everyone. Corey’s the one merging the worlds right now. If we stop it, Scott won’t be able to find the diverter.”

“We can’t just leave him like that.” Mason said, his chin wobbling as tears blurred his vision. 

“You have to give Scott more time.” Liam insisted urgently. “Please. Mason, Corey can heal. I know that’s not what you want to hear but it’s the truth. I have to...I have to go. Just trust me. Please.” He begged softly.

“Go.” Mason’s jaw clenched slightly. “The second Scott gives the signal, we’re getting him out of there. You find Theo and bring him back alive.”

“I will. Thank you.” He smiled weakly at his best friend before he turned, racing from the tunnels. If Douglas was keeping Theo at his side then Theo was at the diverter with him where Scott and Stiles had been headed. All he had to do was follow the train tracks. “Hang on Theo, I’m coming for you.”

-

Theo stumbled as he and Mr. Douglas landed in a wooded area, the older man dropping him immediately. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Theo scowled, turning to look at the older man. “Why are you doing this?” He took a step and put his hand to his chest, squeezing tightly as pain ignited in him. 

“I don’t understand how you’re still alive.” Mr. Douglas said, turning his back on Theo as he approached the diverter. “By all accounts you should be dead. Your heart should have given up ages ago. I never pegged you for being quite so stubborn.” He turned slowly, green eyes coming to life. “But it matters little now. The train is coming, Mr. Raeken. And whether or not you’ll be alive for the outcome…” His smile turned cruel as he inclined his head to the forest. “I didn’t want you to be lonely so I’ve invited someone to come and join us.”

“The hell…” Theo turned his head slowly to the trees, watching a girl a couple of years older than him walk out. He’d know dark hair and freckles like that anywhere. “Tara…”

“Welcome back, little brother.” She smiled sharply as she approached, watching him back away. “What’s the matter, Theo? You don’t want to play anymore?” Distantly he could hear Scott and Stiles saying his name, but they were gone in a flash of green light before he could look.

“You can’t be real. You’re dead…” His voice wavered as he backed himself into a tree, his heart throbbing in his chest.

“Mom and dad needed a new kid since you...well, you know.” She laughed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Why don’t you just go ahead and die Theo? Save everyone the hassle of taking care of you.” She leaned in, pressing her hand to his chest where his heart flipped in response. “This little thing? It’s no good, Theo. You should be dead right now.” She tapped her fingers against his shirt and he swallowed, looking up at her in terror. “How about we fix that little conundrum?” She began to press in with her nails, digging them through his shirt and into his skin. He could feel the blood rising up from his fresh wounds and he cried out, pushing weakly at her shoulders as panic filled his eyes. “See, little brother? You’re too weak to deserve to live. Liam, he’s never going to want to be with you. You just can’t keep up with a werewolf.” She pressed harder and black spots danced along the edge of his vision. “You really should have stayed forgotten. It would have been so much easier if you were gone.”

“You mean like I’m about to do to you?” A familiar voice snarled from behind Tara. She twisted her head just in time for claws to slash over her cheek, ripping into her flesh as it started to weather and look more like that of a ghost rider. She shrieked and dropped Theo in a heap, whirling on Josh to fight back. “See, I always had a hard time with bitches. It’s so much easier killing people like you.” He growled and shoved her back, forcing her further away from Theo. “You messed with the wrong pack.”

“Josh…” Theo held his chest, blinking through his hazy vision to try and watch the chimera. “What are you…”

“Thought you could use some backup. Didn’t know I’d have to keep fighting like this. Your boyfriend owes me.” Josh smirked and slashed his claws at Tara’s throat, driving her back another few feet. “So help me, Theo, if you die right now I am going to drag you back from the afterlife and strangle you myself. I didn’t do all this shit so you could die on me.”

“Such a good friend to me,” Theo laughed weakly as blood trickled through his fingers. He turned his head to watch Douglas begin to surround Scott with ghost riders, his pulse racing. “He needs help.”

“That’s why he has a pack!” Josh growled out, loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Yeah and you aren’t in it!” Malia’s voice rang through the trees as she stepped into the fight. “But I am.”

“I’m not in the pack,” Peter Hale stepped from the shadows to join his daughter. “But no one likes a Nazi.”

“About damn time.” Theo grinned weakly. “Thought I was going to have to fight them all on my own.”

“You’re not even fighting.” Josh snapped, lunging forward again as the ghost riders began to rush them. “Stay put.” He called over his shoulder, forcing Tara back further as he tried to fight his way through the ring of ghost riders to reach the diverter.

“Like I’m going anywhere.” Theo muttered, spitting a mouthful of blood. Even as the words left his lips, he reached behind him and dug his fingers into the bark of the tree as he attempted to get back onto his feet. His gaze fell upon the diverter, the only thing keeping them all here in the middle of a fight. “Someone’s got to do it.” He stumbled forward, dragging his feet one at a time as he attempted to make his way closer. The body of a ghost rider landed at his feet and he fell back, groaning in pain as he held his chest. “Come on. Not now.” He whispered, silently pleading with any higher power to give him more time. He shuffled slowly around the body and ducked just as another body flew overhead. He was so close. Less than six feet and he could do it. He made it two more before someone grabbed him by the back of his neck, hauling him back.

“I thought I told you to die.” Tara snarled in his ear, her fingers beginning to crush his windpipe. He wheezed and thrashed pitifully against her, desperate gasps for air escaping as he tried to draw in another breath. He kicked back and felt her let go, barely managing to brace himself for the impact as he hit the ground. He rolled just in time to get out of the way, seeing a familiar body moving in front of him in a protective crouch.

“You’ll have to go through me first.” Liam hissed, golden eyes blazing as he watched the spectre. 

“Gladly.” Tara launched herself forward but another person tackled her from the side, forcing her onto the ground. 

“Little help here?!” Josh asked over his shoulder, pinning her down by the shoulders. Liam nodded and glanced at Theo to make sure he was okay before he hurried forward and blocked Tara from view. Her screams echoed through the preserve and Theo pressed his face into his arm, trying to block it out. He curled in on himself as he heard a train come barreling down the tracks, a whistle blowing as the ground beneath him started to tremble. It was too late. The train had arrived and Beacon Hills was going to disappear. 

Warm fingers touched his back and he looked up with what strength he had left, looking blearily up into worried blue eyes. “Hey, sunshine,” he croaked softly. “Thought you were helping Corey?” He coughed up another mouthful of blood, groaning and shutting his eyes. Scott’s roar snapped him back to awareness and he looked at Liam in confusion, watching black lines move across his face. When had Liam started holding his jaw?

“You’re such an idiot. I’m so mad at you.” Liam whispered shakily, dropping his fingers as the burn started to be too much. Theo laughed weakly and flopped onto his back, relief flooding through him. They’d won. Somehow, despite all of the odds, they’d finally won. He wanted to tell Liam that he was finally starting to feel better but his mouth refused to cooperate. When he couldn’t open his eyes, a weak sense of panic filled him but he didn’t have the energy to keep trying. He thought maybe he could hear someone saying his name and then it went dark, as it always did.

“Theo…?” Liam shuddered as he watched Theo’s chest stop moving. “Theo!” He fumbled to find a pulse on his neck, tears streaming down his face as a weak one fluttered under his touch. A ragged breath was drawn and he sobbed in relief, leaning down and pressing his face to Theo’s shoulder. 

“Liam?” Scott approached from behind, setting a hand on his shoulder. “We have to get him to the hospital.” He said. Liam nodded and started to lift Theo but a green smoke began to cover his skin. 

“Theo? No no no, please. I just got you back. What’s happening?” He demanded.

“We’re all out of the hunt now. Everyone’s going to appear back where they disappeared from.” Stiles said as he hurried over. “When I followed Lydia’s voice, I wound up in my Jeep.”

“That’s it.” Liam sprang to his feet just as Theo faded from his arms. He didn’t say anything, only racing back toward the school. The train tracks were gone now but he knew the way by heart. He just had to make it in time. “Come on,” he growled as he pushed himself faster than he had ever run before. His legs burned in protest, threatening to give out beneath him, but he kept pushing until he broke out onto the lacrosse field. He stumbled momentarily and then shifted direction, racing for the parking lot. Theo’s truck was waiting for him and inside, Theo was slumped across the seats.

“Theo!” He yanked open the driver’s door and fumbled with the keys in Theo’s lap, gently pushing him further into the cab. “Don’t you dare give up on me, asshole. I still have to yell at you.” There was so many things he needed to tell him, so many things he wanted to say. He forced the key into the ignition and started the truck, hardly looking as he backed out of the space and began to drive as though his life depended on it. Theo’s heartbeat was weak beside him but it was still there, reassuring him if only a little. He pulled out his phone and called his stepdad, telling him it was an emergency and he needed to be put immediately at the ER. Screeching into the hospital parking lot, he threw the vehicle into park and collected Theo in his arms as he climbed out. Two nurses met him just outside the revolving doors with a stretcher, Dr. Geyer a few feet behind them.

“Liam, what’s happened to him?” He asked as they walked into the building, three steps behind the stretcher.

“His heart. I...I don’t know.” How did you explain that the person you loved had been missing for months and a supernatural force had tried to kill him? “You can save him, right?” He pleaded brokenly.

“I’ll do everything in my power. Stay here and call his parents.” He said before disappearing behind the doors where Liam could not follow. He pulled out his phone with trembling fingers, calling Connie and her husband and begging them to come to the hospital. She promised to meet him there and he hung up, collapsing into one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs. Now all he could do was wait. 

-

Connie Raeken burst into the emergency room, tears in her eyes as she rushed over to Liam. “What happened? Where is my son?” She demanded, grabbing onto his shoulders and clinging for dear life. 

“Surgery, I think. I...I don’t know. I’m not family so they wouldn’t tell me anything.” Liam hugged her tightly, burying his face against her shoulder. “But he’s alive. I know he is.” He’d been listening for Theo’s heartbeat for the past fifteen minutes. It was hanging by a thread but he was confident Theo would pull through. He had to, didn’t he? They’d already been through enough. 

“I thought I’d lost him…” Connie sobbed softly as she held him. Her husband joined a few minutes later, updating them from the receptionist that Theo was just getting into the operating theater. For now they were forced to sit and wait, hoping for any sign of good news. It was torture waiting for three hours. Melissa came to check on them a couple of times, giving updates as she could, but she didn’t know much as she hadn’t been able to get into the room. 

It was at the start of the second hour that Theo’s heart stopped and Liam felt the ground beneath him disappear. He hit the floor with a strangled sob, digging his nails into the cold tile floor as he stared down at the name on his left wrist. It was pale against his skin, still black with the promise of life but barely visible. It took five minutes for Theo’s heart to start beating again and Liam crumpled in relief, unable to hold himself up as he pressed his forehead against the floor. Soft fingers stroked his back, a gentle arm coming around his waist to pull him back onto his feet. Connie whispered soft reassurances as Liam clung to her, staring down at the pale name imprinted on his wrist. Further back in the hospital, a faint pulse continued to beat. 

A short while after, Liam’s dad found them to deliver the good news. “He’s going to be okay.” Dr. Geyer smiled softly at Connie and her husband, nodding his head. “We had to go in and repair a couple of valves but overall he’s in good shape. He’s still weak right now but it’s going to take some time to recover from this. We’re going to recommend him to another specialist for a second opinion but we think we should up the dosage on his medicine to prevent something like this from happening again. Right now, the two of you can go in and be with him. I would like you to stay no longer than twenty minutes so he has time to rest. Tomorrow morning, you should be able to see him in an actual recovery room and he will be allowed more visitors.” He explained, offering to show them the way to Theo’s room. 

Liam slumped against the wall in relief from around the corner, extending his senses to find the familiar heartbeat. Theo was stable and that was what counted. He knew that he wasn’t going to be able to go home and relax, not until he’d managed to sneak in and see his soulmate. He’d already called his mom to explain what was going on and most of the pack had joined him in silent comfort, sleeping in different positions around the waiting room. While he appreciated their efforts and was grateful they wanted to be near him during a time of need, it wasn’t enough. He needed to see Theo, see him breathing and holding up on his own, before he could breathe freely.

-

Liam crept his way down the hall, ducking into a doorway as he heard the sounds of his father talking down the hall. He waited patiently for him to move on before he kept going, slipping into Theo’s room just as a nurse rounded the corner. The scent of medicine and sickness made Liam’s skin crawl for a moment and he took a shallow breath, focusing on Theo’s heartbeat. It was slow but familiar, comforting as he crossed to the bedside and sat in the chair beside him. He carefully took his hand, trying not to start crying again as he looked at Theo. Now that he could see him under the lights, he could see how pale and sickly his soulmate appeared. Dark purple bags clung to his eyes and his cheeks were slightly sunken in. Each breath rattled in his chest and Liam shuddered as he leaned closer to the bedside. He didn’t smell like Theo anymore. All he could smell were the drugs, the thick scent of near death, and how sterile the room was. He hated it. 

“I’m so mad at you.” He confessed quietly as he watched the other boy. “You have no idea. How many times am I going to nearly lose you? You can’t….you can’t keep doing this. How am I supposed to look out for you when you won’t look out for yourself?” He stroked the back of Theo’s hand and bowed his head. “I don’t know what I would do without you. I can’t picture my world without you in it. This was too close. And knowing you, you’d do it all over again and I really want to be pissed about it. But I can’t. Because you’re stupid and reckless and a goddamn hero and I’m so in love with you.” He closed his eyes, squeezing his fingers tightly. 

“Little wolf?” Theo murmured sleepily. He jerked his head up to find green eyes cracked open. “I don’t think I’d do it again.” He mumbled, leaning his head back against his pillow. “I’ve decided I’m not really ready to die.”

“You’re okay.” Liam swallowed back tears as he shifted to the edge of his chair. “Can I get you anything? Water? The nurse?”

“Come here.” Theo tugged softly on his hand and Liam was helpless but to obey. He sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned down as Theo tugged on his shirt, laughing quietly as Theo missed his lips and kissed his jaw. “Stop laughing at me.” Theo grumbled, tilting his head up so Liam could kiss him properly. He sighed into the kiss and Liam gently touched the side of his neck, drawing out his pain. There was less to worry about this time and for that he would be forever grateful. “You don’t need to do that.” Theo murmured as he settled back against his pillows again. “I’m okay.”

“I’m always going to take your pain. You’d better get used to it.” Liam grinned down at him, cupping his cheek. “You really scared me, you know. You scared everyone.”

“You should be used to that.” Theo pointed out, frowning slightly. “Sorry if that’s harsh but...you know my track record.”

“That’s why you’re an absolute idiot.” Liam smiled fondly. “You’re really here,” he whispered. “I thought I was losing my mind. I needed you and you were just…”

“I know,” Theo reached up to cover his hand, “but I’m here now.”

“For a long, long time.” Liam said firmly. He didn’t care what it took to make sure Theo stayed healthy. They’d find a way. “I love you, you know?”

“Of course. I’m fucking adorable.” Theo smirked weakly and Liam laughed. “I love you too, sunshine. Always.”

“Always.” Liam promised. “You should go back to sleep.” He recommended gently. 

“Only if you stay.” Theo laced their fingers loosely together. “You know how much I hate hospitals. This is my own personal hell.”

“I know.” Liam reached up to run his fingers back through his hair, bending over to press a kiss to his forehead. “Sleep. I’ll still be here in the morning. I’m not going anywhere until you’re released.” He promised. Theo nodded slowly and let his eyes drop shut, already halfway gone by the time Liam was settling down to lay beside him. He eased their clasped hands up into Theo’s chest, settling his palm over his heart before letting himself relax and start to drift. Things were going to be okay. They’d won the battle and everyone was home, safe and sound. It was good enough for the time being. 

The next couple of weeks saw Theo in and out of consciousness, adjusting to a new dosage of heart medicine that was supposed to help him function better. Liam hated the smell of it and how sluggish it made him at times but he knew there would be a trial period. It didn’t completely stop the flare ups of pain so Liam spent most nights at the hospital, helping take what he could to give Theo a more restful night’s sleep. It was as natural as breathing, reaching over while Theo was talking or resting to take some of his pain. He certainly thought it was helping Theo regain color quickly and to lose the bags under his eyes, though he had a sneaking suspicion that he wasn’t the only person drawing out his pain. 

He was in the middle of doing that when Connie Raeken walked into the room, Theo peacefully sleeping as the lines of pain disappeared from his face. “Liam…” Her gentle voice broke the silence in the room and he froze in place. Rigidly he turned his head, working his mouth open to try and come up with some explanation. But she simply held up her hand, shaking her head weakly. “Don’t. Just tell me this...is it helping him?” She asked in a fragile voice.

“It does. I can’t always do it but I do what I can to make him comfortable.” He admitted, slowly letting go of Theo’s hand. “I just wish I could do more for him.”

“Oh honey.” Connie walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder, smiling down at him. “You do so much for him. I always wondered why he seemed better on his worst days after you visited...I suppose I have you to thank for that.” She squeezed his arm. “Theo’s lucky to have someone like you as his soulmate. I can’t tell you how thankful my husband and I are for you. You’ve been such a blessing to us. I can’t remember a time when I’ve ever seen him so happy, even when he’s suffering.” She moved to sit on the edge of the bed, reaching down to brush back her son’s hair gently. “He was always so worried about what you’d think of him when you finally met. I don’t know if he ever told you…”

“He did.” Liam murmured, watching her. “He tried to push me away in the beginning. He said he was going to die and I’d be better off not getting too close. You see how well that worked out.” The corner of his lips twitched into a smile.

“Sounds like my boy.” She smoothed down the creases in his forehead, sighing quietly. “It’s hard to believe that he was…” Her lip quivered, the words unable to come out. “I just don’t understand how we forgot our son. I keep playing it over and over again. How do you just lose someone like that?”

“It’s probably better if you don’t know.” Liam said honestly. “Mrs. Raeken, you shouldn’t blame yourself.”

“Connie, dear. By now I think you’ve earned the right to call me by my first name.” 

“Connie. Trust me when I saw that there was nothing any of us could have done differently to prevent this.” Liam said, holding her gaze for a moment. “But he’s alive and back now and that’s what we have to keep telling ourselves. Otherwise we’ll go mad.”

“You’re pretty smart for a teenager.” Her eyes crinkled as she smiled. “Thank you, Liam.” She glanced back at Theo and bent over, adjusting the blankets up around his chest. “Would you mind giving me a few minutes with him? Maybe you could go see that friend of yours that’s been lurking around.”

“I’ll go find him.” Liam said, getting to his feet. “Do you want a coffee or anything?”

“No, that’s all right. I just want to sit with him for a while. It really helps me feel better at night. That and I suppose knowing you’re always here to keep an eye on him.” She said. Liam flushed lightly and got to his feet, heading for the door. “Thank you.” She spoke gently and he nodded, slipping out into the hall to give her some privacy.

It didn’t take long for him to find the person he was looking for. All he had to do was ask about an annoyed looking teenager and two different nurses pointed him in the right direction. He made his way down to the basement where the hospital cafeteria was, not surprised to find it mostly empty. It was still early in the morning. He went through the line and bought himself a bag of chips and two cups of coffee, walking over to an occupied booth and sliding into the only available seat.

“What do you want?” Josh griped as he reached for the coffee, narrowing his eyes. 

“To say thank you.” Liam replied, opening his bags of chips. He crunched on a handful and turned the bag to the chimera in a silent offer. “He’s been sleeping a lot better.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Josh scoffed. “Obviously I’m here for the wonderful assortment of questionably edible goods.”

“You should visit him.” Liam said gently. “I think he’d really like to see you. I may not understand your friendship but I know it makes him happy. And you helped me save his life. Fuck, you risked getting captured by ghost riders for him."

“Don’t.” Josh said sharply, fingers curling around the cup. “I’m not one of the good guys, Liam. I did what I did because I owed it to him. That’s it.” 

“Josh-”

“No. That’s all there is to it.” Josh repeated firmly, getting to his feet. “I’m not sticking around, Dunbar. This place...it won’t end well for any of us if I do. Hasn’t my history proven that?” His lip curled as he grabbed the coffee and started to walk away. He paused just outside of the door, exhaling softly. “Liam? Take care of him.” He murmured before he was gone, disappearing down the hall. Liam sighed and leaned back in the now lonely booth, closing his eyes. Of course the chimera was going to be stubborn when it came to this. Liam wasn’t even sure why he’d tried but a small voice whispered the answer at the back of his mind.  _ Theo _ .

-

He was mostly asleep when he felt it. A steady hand on his shoulder and then moving down his arm, lightly pressing against his skin. He almost thought that he was dreaming it. Theo’s eyes fluttered open as he reached out in the darkened room, blindly grabbing the fingers retreating from his wrist. “Wait,” he croaked out tiredly as he struggled to focus on the person hovering at his bedside. “Where are you going?” He muttered, blinking slowly up at Josh. 

“You’re supposed to be asleep.” Josh hissed quietly, his eyes narrowed in annoyance as he watched Theo. “You should be resting.”

“I’m in bed. How much more rested can I get?” Theo grumbled, squeezing Josh’s wrist. “Liam said he saw you earlier. That you were leaving.”

“Liam’s a nosy little shit.” Josh scrubbed a hand over his face. “I never said I was leaving town. I just wasn’t going to stick around the hospital anymore.” The lit was painfully obvious but Theo decided not to call him on it. 

“Then why are you here?” Theo asked softly.

“Because your fucking heart stops sometimes in your sleep. And you start wheezing and I hate listening to it.” He growled quietly, looking away. “Why the fuck does it matter?”

“Stop trying to be such a dick.” Theo huffed and let go of his wrist, crossing his arms over his chest. “You aren’t some heartless bastard and you know it. You’re just too chicken to admit it.” He stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth and Josh laughed quietly, some of the tension easing out of him. “I’m not saying thank you though. You shouldn’t be taking my pain so much either. It can’t be healthy for you guys.”

“I’ll live.” Josh’s lips quirked into a smile. “And I’m not taking your pain. You’re just imagining shit.”

“Right.” Theo snorted and settled back in his bed, eyeing him warily. “You aren’t going to skip town, are you? Because I will hunt you down. I still have a lot to yell at you about from before.” He didn’t need to explain what he meant, Josh already knew.

“Of course you would. I swear, you have no self-preservation.” 

“He doesn’t,” Liam muttered from the chair he’d been sprawled in. “Josh? Is that you?”

“No,” Theo and Josh said in unison. Josh hid a grin and headed to the door, winking back at them. “You’re just dreaming, Dunbar. Having a nightmare.”

“Must be with your ugly mug in it.” Theo chirped. Liam muttered unintelligibly, already sinking back into sleep. “Thank you.” He whispered, knowing Josh could hear it and understand. He reached for Liam’s hand and made himself comfortable beneath the sheets, brushing his thumb across his name on Liam’s wrist as he closed his eyes. “Love you,” he murmured with a fond smile as he started to slip back into unconsciousness. 

For the time being, the storm had passed in Beacon Hills. Theo knew it was only a matter of time before the next disaster struck but they would be ready for it. If the ghost riders and the Wild Hunt hadn’t been able to keep them apart. Liam was the one constant that Theo could count on and he hoped that never went away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone so much for reading this fic. Words cannot completely express how much your kindness meant to me. I have so many comments that I need to respond to but please know that I will and that every word is special to me.
> 
> I did not expect this fic to be completed this quickly or to gain such a quick following. I am so thrilled to know that people enjoyed this and I need to take the time to thank a few people.
> 
> First off, Manon. For coming up with this beautiful prompt and then spiraling with me every step of the way. This fic would not exist without her and I could not have done all of this on my own. She pointed out inconsistencies, suggested memories and how to adjusts certain scenes from the show, and listened to me rant and rave as I got ideas and then tried to flesh it all out.
> 
> Dana, who commented regularly and immediately came to yell at me on discord while encouraging me in the same breath. Who gave me some inspiration for some truly incredible scenes and also suggested so many things. Her kindness is awe-inspiring and I love her. 
> 
> Kane, yet another regular reader and great friend. He gave me so many ideas and just constantly congratulated me and it meant so much. Kane was my sound board at times and had some incredible ideas for the next installment that hopefilly will be worked in. He's the best.
> 
> And thank you all, to my wonderful readers for sticking with this fic and encouraging its progress. This isn't the end by far and there's certainly an epilogue planned, as well as 6b to explore. So stay tuned because there's more to be seen in the future!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Key snippets that led to graduation and the celebration after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There is some smut in this chapter. If you don't want to read it, I suggest scrolling past the gym section. Otherwise you're in the clear. Hope you enjoy!

“Today’s the day.” Dr. Geyer smiled over his clipboard at the restless young man. “I’m sure you’re ready to go home and sleep in a real bed.”

“I want to go back to school.” Theo said honestly, taking him by surprise. “I hate sitting around doing nothing.” He was thankful that Stiles and Scott had been stopping by to drop off homework from his classes, Lydia popping in to help tutor and keep him caught up, but now he was ahead and it was maddening. He craved the normalcy of everyday life, the routine that he was unable to follow due to his brief hospital stint. Three weeks had felt like torture and although his friends had visited often and Liam spent most nights with him, a small part of him was still lonely and bitter.

“I’ll make sure I speak to your mom about that. Now that you’re starting to adjust to your new medicine, I don’t see the harm in going back. I do recommend taking the first few days slow and going in for half days. Just until your body readjusts to you being on your feet for an extended period of time. You’ll feel a little frustrated because your mind wants to do more but I promise that feeling will pass. Try not to overdo it. I’d much rather see you at the dinner table than as my patient.” Dr. Geyer said kindly, fighting a grin as Theo flushed and mumbled something to himself. “Theo, you’re a good kid. Headstrong and fearless. And you make my son happy. Just try and take it easy.” He reiterated.

“I will. I really don’t want to end up here again. I like you and all but I don’t like this place.” Theo plucked lightly at a loose thread in his hospital blanket. “How soon can I go?”

“One of my nurse’s is with your mom now helping her sign paperwork. I’m going to go talk to her and explain everything I just told you. It shouldn’t take very long so you have a few minutes to get yourself dressed and make sure you have all of your belongings. Also, I know you wished Liam could be here to walk you out and I’m sorry he had to be at school.”

“I get it. He shouldn’t have missed so much because of me anyways.” Theo waved it off, grabbing the corner of his hospital blanket. “Dr. Geyer-”

“David.”

“David. Right.” Theo chuckled lightly and nodded. “Thanks for everything. You’re a pretty great guy.”

“My wife certainly thinks so.” Dr. Geyer smiled widely and turned, leaving Theo on his own. Thankfully he closed the door to give him some semblance of privacy. He slid his legs over the side of the bed and stood, shuffling toward the bathroom to get himself dressed. Behind him, the door swung open and he heard a choked noise.

“Oh my god-I didn’t need to see your lily white ass!” Stiles squawked indignantly. Theo glanced back to find him looking mortified as he quickly turned away. Snorting, he continued on into the bathroom and cracked the door shut.

“What are you doing here?” He asked as he pulled off the hospital gown. He took a moment to stare at his reflection, bringing his fingers up to touch the bright red wound just over his heart. He knew that if he pressed just enough, it would remind him of his dead sister trying to rip it from his chest. He’d woken too many nights lately screaming, begging for her to stop. On some rare occasions, he told her it was okay and to keep going. Although she hadn’t been real it didn’t mean that the memory of her or her cruel words simply disappeared. A small part of him believed everything she’d said was true.

“Liam said you were getting out today and I wanted to make sure you were following the doctor’s orders. I know about the pudding cups and dude, not only is that the least healthy thing for you right now but also tapioca? Really? What are you, my grandma?”

“Stiles. Shut up.” Theo grinned and shook himself from his mind, grabbing the neatly folded clothes that had been left on the back of the toilet for him. He dressed himself carefully and draped the hospital gown over his arm, stepping back into the room. His eyes immediately fell on the wheelchair that had mysteriously appeared in the last two minutes and he squinted at it and then his friend. “Did you seriously hijack a wheelchair?”

“Patients always leave the hospital in them.” Stiles rolled his eyes.

“Yeah that the nurse brings in. Somebody is probably looking for that one and you stole it. That poor, poor amputee.” Theo tutted softly and packed his bag.

“Dude. Don’t make things up.” Stiles scoffed and stepped closer. “You have a bag? Then why were you naked under that gown? You had clothes! I didn’t need to be scarred for life!”

“I let my mom take my last pair of boxers last night to do some laundry. Bite me.” Theo flipped him off and reached for the bag, frowning as Stiles snatched it before he could touch the handle. “Stiles-”

“I’m helping. See? Look, this is me helping you. Now shut up and sit in the chair.” Stiles pointed and Theo rolled his eyes again, doing as told. He’d learn a long time ago that it was far easier to do what he was asked when it came to his friend. It didn’t mean he always followed what he said, of course, but he wanted to be nice. “There’s a good boy.”

“I’m not a dog, dickbag.” Theo gave him the finger again. “So tell me why you’re really here? Outside of dropping off homework, I haven’t really seen you much lately.” If he hadn’t been turned toward him, he would have missed the subtle flinch from him. “Stiles?” He tried again, frowning. “What’s up?”

“I…” Stiles hesitated and raked his fingers back through his hair, grimacing. “I really need to trim this. It’s growing too long again and Lydia said-”

“Mieczyslaw.” Theo murmured, effectively silencing him. “I’ve known you since preschool. Talk to me.”

“You know I hate when you do that,” Stiles whined. He fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment under Theo’s gaze and exhaled loudly. “Fine. I thought you were going to die. It was all my fault. You know? I couldn’t do anything to help when you were in pain.”

“Don’t do that,” Theo spoke softly as he turned fully to face the other boy. “I’m alive now and that’s all that matters. Right? We could argue that I should have split the pills or that I could have just stayed put on a bench but that wouldn’t solve things now. So just...don’t. We aren’t going to play the blame game. It’s a worthless road.”

“But-”

“I will punch you in the dick if you keep on about it.” Theo grinned as Stiles’ eyes widened. “Seriously. You and I are cool and I don’t blame you. I promise.” He wanted to say more but the door opened, Connie walking in. She paused at the sight of them, a gentle smile forming.

“Stiles. How nice of you to come by.” She patted his arm and stepped behind Theo, taking the handles of his wheelchair. “What do you say we get you home? Your dad will be home from work soon and then we can all have a nice lunch together.”

“Sounds good.” Theo turned to face forward and picked up his feet. “See you later, Stilinski.” He waved over his shoulder and Stiles laughed quietly, following them from the room.

“I have your bag,” Stiles reminded as he joined them in the elevator. “Like you were going to get rid of me that easily.”

“Damn. And I tried so hard.” Theo joked, laughing as his mom flicked behind his ear.

“Watch your mouth, young man.” She ruffled his hair affectionately and he leaned into the touch, closing his eyes. Homeward bound at last.

-

Liam grunted as he aimed another swift kick at the sandbag, following it quickly with a jab. He repeated the succession two more times before stepping back, lifting his arm to wipe sweat from his brow. He shrugged his hoodie over his head and tossed it onto the floor, grateful for once that he was alone in the weight room. Coach Finstock graciously kept it open year round for the athletes and despite it being only the third day of summer, Liam had needed the escape. It wasn’t that things weren’t amazing. They were. Theo was fully recovered and back to his normal self, Liam had managed to pass all of his classes and not tank his GPA, and he had yet another summer that he could lounge around and do nothing. But the seniors were graduating in a couple of days and the nearing date continued to threaten to send him into a panic. He hadn’t discussed the future with Theo but what if he was going off to college? What if he and his family decided to move now that school was over and Theo had a diploma?

His chest tightened with anxiety and he moved to a bench, laying down and exhaling loudly. He was being ridiculous. Theo wouldn’t leave without telling him. Of course, it wasn’t like Liam had given him much of a chance to explain anything over the last few days. He’d been conveniently busy every time Theo had invited him over to talk or tried to call him. Hiding was cowardly but Liam didn’t want to face the chance that Theo was going to leave him. He sighed and dragged his hand over his face. He couldn’t keep avoiding his soulmate forever. It wasn’t feasibly possible and the last thing he wanted was Theo feeling as though Liam didn’t want him. Because god, that was the opposite of what he felt.

Attempting to shake off his negative thoughts, he lifted the weight above his head and began working through his usual routine. He was in his fifth set of reps when he heard a familiar heartbeat enter the room, one he’d been missing for days. “Hey.” Theo said gently, waiting for him to set the weight back on the rack. “Your mom thought I might find you here.”

“She was right.” Liam said softly as he sat up, wiping at his forehead again. He dropped his arm to look at Theo, feeling his mouth go dry. He was wearing black shorts that clung to his thighs, leaving little to the imagination, and a gray sweatshirt that had been cut stylishly to look more like a crop top. Theo turned his back to him, sitting on one of the mats and stretching forward. His ass looked absolutely delicious in those shorts and Liam wanted nothing more than to sink his teeth in.

“Don’t mind me.” Theo glanced over his shoulder, smiling innocently as he bent further forward. “Keep doing what you were doing.”

“You came looking for me,” Liam reminded as he leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees.

“Well I thought maybe you’d stop avoiding me eventually. I got impatient.” The other boy said honestly. He crossed his ankle over his opposite knee and then wrapped his elbow over his knee, twisting around until he was facing Liam. “You want to talk about it?”

“I don’t know what to say.” Liam admitted with a soft sigh. He leaned back and grabbed the weight above him once again, starting to lift. “Really. It’s not even a big deal. I’ve just been thinking a lot lately.”

“About?” Theo frowned and shifted the other way as he continued to stretch.

“Us. The future.” It was easier to free his tongue when his mind was somewhere else. “Where you’re going after graduation.”

“Going?” Theo’s brow furrowed as he stopped and turned to look at Liam. “What are you talking about? Why would I be going anywhere?”

“Because you’re done with high school.” Liam said as though that explained everything.

“You’re an idiot.” Theo snorted and got to his feet, walking closer to Liam. He hovered at his side, waiting until he had set the weights down before sitting down to straddle his thighs. Liam tried not to react, tamping down on his own arousal as he stared up at his boyfriend. “Dude. I’m going to community college. I’m taking online classes. Have you not been paying any attention?”

“You’re what?” Liam asked dumbly as he blinked up at him.

“Like I would ever leave Beacon Hills. Or you.” Theo settled one hand on Liam’s chest, lightly rubbing through his thin wife beater shirt. “Did you seriously think that I was going anywhere else? There’s no way I’d make it at an actual university with my health problems. So I didn’t apply to any. I tried to call you yesterday and say that I’d gotten in to the community college but you were ignoring me.”

“I’m sorry.” Liam swallowed audibly as he continued to stare up at his soulmate. “I just thought….”

“I know. That’s why I can forgive you.” Theo beamed down at him. “Now are you done ignoring me? Because I’ve missed my boyfriend and I’m a needy bitch.” Liam laughed softly and nodded, grinning up at him. “Good. So we can go back to your place and hang out?”

“I wasn’t quite done working out.” Liam told him.

“Well I suppose I can be kind enough to let you finish.” Theo smirked and started to stand, his eyes widening slightly as Liam’s fingers pressed into his hips. “Liam…”

“You’re not going anywhere.” The beta slowly stroked his fingers up Theo’s sides, dipping under the crop top to trail over his heated skin. “You didn’t just come here to talk. If that was all you wanted, you wouldn’t be wearing that.” He murmured, his eyes darkening slightly as Theo flushed and bit down on his lip. “You look gorgeous.” Liam praised, scratching his nails gently along Theo’s skin.

“Fuck.” He whined softly and shifted his legs further apart, pressing down against Liam without conscious thought. Liam smirked and leaned up, brushing his lips against the hollow of his throat and trailing open mouthed kisses along his jaw. “We-we shouldn’t-“ Theo tried to speak, bringing his arms up around Liam’s shoulders in an attempt to hold him closer. “Someone will see us.”

“Isn’t that half the fun?” Liam smirked and nipped gently at his skin.

“Liam…” Theo breathed his name unsteadily, tangling his fingers in the hair at the back of his neck.

“It’s just us.” Liam continued huskily, pressing a featherlight kiss to the corner of his mouth. “No other heartbeats remotely near us. I promise.” He took another moment to listen carefully, satisfied to find that his claim was still true. Coach must have left to grab lunch or something. It didn’t matter. The last person Liam had seen in the building was Gabe and he’d been leaving the gym just as Liam had arrived.

He slid his hands around to Theo’s front, moving one hand up under his shirt until he could pinch his nipple. Theo jolted at that with a low gasp, rocking his hips hard in response and flushing bright red. “Little wolf,” he croaked and the nickname had never sounded so beautiful. Liam smirked and dipped his head back down, kissing the smooth expanse of pale skin down his throat. Theo’s head tipped to the side in submission and Liam carefully grazed his teeth along his pulse point to feel it jump. He lowered his hand back to Theo’s hip and squeezed gently, using both hands to urge his legs further apart. Theo’s teeth dug into his lip as his hardening cock brushed against Liam’s, a quiet moan escaping.

“No.” Liam growled, his eyes flashing. Theo’s eyes widened and Liam reached up, gently tugging his lip free of his teeth. “I want to hear you.” He bit down on his neck and sucked hard, rolling his hips up against Theo as the other boy keened in response and tugged on his hair. “Louder.” Pushing his fingers up his shirt again, he scraped his nails against Theo’s nipple and tweaked it between his fingers.

“Oh fuck,” Theo whimpered and bucked, shuddering as Liam’s tongue slid over his neck. “Liam. Liam, please. Please.” He begged as he began to move his hips, grinding himself desperately against his soulmate. Liam’s hand worked between them and freed his leaking cock, thumb brushing firmly over the slit and sending him further into a frenzy. “Liam!” He rocked his hips harder and faster, head thrown back as the werewolf continued to mark his neck and pump his hand in time with each thrust. He was close. He could feel the release building, white hot and scorching at his center. He just needed to-

“What the hell are you two doing?!” Finstock’s voice boomed through the area and Theo paled, stilling instantly. “Dunbar, stop trying to get your boyfriend pregnant. Get away from my gym for that!”

Liam snorted softly and buried his face against Theo’s shoulder, muffling his laughter. He squeezed his human closer and tucked him back into his shorts, turning his head to look back at Finstock. “We’re gay men. He can’t get pregnant.”

“Then stop trying to spread STD’s or whatever you’re doing. This is my gym. My home. I won’t have it soiled.” Finstock said firmly. “Raeken I expected better from you!”

“Sorry Coach.” Theo ducked his head, his entire face scarlet as he tried to adjust himself and climb from Liam’s lap. He stood to Liam’s side, hiding his most pressing problem against his arm while the werewolf smirked up at him. He looked positively gleeful as Finstock began to mutter to himself and left the room, his eyes glittering warmly. “It’s not funny.” He smacked Liam’s shoulder and the beta threw back his head in laughter. “Liam, shut up.” He huffed, feeling his blush spreading down his chest. He turned away from him to look anywhere else and was immediately faced with a mirror. “Oh fuck.” Raising his fingers gently, he touched the darkening purple and red marks that now littered his skin. “My mom is going to kill me.” He whispered, shivering lightly as he brushed over a particularly sensitive one.

“I think you look great.” Liam wrapped his arms around him from behind and leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to one of the hickeys. “Maybe next time we do this we can have a mirror. I want you to see how gorgeous you are when you’re so turned on.” He lightly pinched Theo’s nipple over his crop top before stepping back. “I think my house is empty right now if you want to keep this going.” He added innocently as he headed for the door, grabbing his gym bag on the way. “Could be fun.” He winked over his shoulder and disappeared through the doorway. Theo swore softly and grabbed Liam’s sweatshirt from where it had been abandoned, scrambling after him. The beta’s laughter rang down the hall but Theo didn’t mind. He took him by the hand, lacing their fingers and squeezing firmly. They were together again and he would make sure it stayed that way.

-

Liam knocked lightly on the front door before he pushed it open, stepping into Lydia’s house. Further into the house, he could hear the chatter of adults and his friends beyond that. He glanced up at the ‘congratulations’ banner as he walked into the kitchen and frowned as he scanned the group of adults. “Where are Connie and her husband?” Theo hadn’t arrived yet? He’d thought for sure that they would beat him after he’d stopped back by his house to grab his swim trunks and change clothes.

“They stopped by the store to pick up a couple of things.” Melissa said, setting her hand on his shoulder. “They’re on their way. Scott and the others are out back.” She pushed him gently, encouraging him to keep going. He broke into a grin and walked out the sliding glass door, stepping out from under the overhang and into the sunlight. Lydia was already submerged in the pool, resting against the edge while Stiles sat and allowed his legs to dangle in the water. Scott and Malia were chatting with Dr. Geyer who was manning the grill just to his left. And then there was Hayden, Mason, and Corey who were sitting on the lounge chairs deep in discussion. He lifted his hand in a wave to the few who glanced his way and walked over to join his friends, sitting down on the other side of Hayden.

“Theo not with you?” She asked with a tiny frown.

“His parents wanted him to ride with them. Melissa said they’re on their way.” He shrugged lightly and glanced toward the new college freshmen. “Hard to believe we’ve made it this far.” He remembered being newly bitten and how terrified he had been about not surviving the rest of his high school career. But if Scott and his friends could make it then so could Liam.

“Juniors, man.” Mason grinned widely. “One more year and we’ll be top dogs at the school.”

“Still feels like it's forever away.” Corey said, leaning into Mason’s side. His boyfriend slipped an arm around his waist and pressed a kiss to his temple. Liam hummed in agreement and tilted his head as he heard a familiar car pull into the driveway. His favorite heartbeat started moving closer to the house and he stood, whining softly as Hayden caught his wrist.

“Give him five minutes before you maul him again.” She teased. Liam flushed softly, thinking of the dark marks that currently covered Theo’s neck. Jenna had seen them when he’d brought Theo home and launched into a laughing fit before a lecture on being more appropriate. He’d had to wear makeup for graduation and Connie had tried to have the safe sex talk with both of them. Not only had it killed the mood, but Liam hadn’t been able to get another private moment with his boyfriend since the gym. It had only been a couple of days but he was a teenage boy with needs, dammit. One of them was hearing the way Theo’s breath stuttered and his soft moans. “Liam. Gross.” Hayden’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he flushed brightly, realizing she could smell his arousal.

“Sorry.” He tugged his hand free and forced himself to sit back down and wait patiently. He tried his best to focus on the conversation between Mason and Hayden but the sounds escaping them refused to take form. Instead he listened intently to the soft footsteps echoing through the house, the more confident the steps became as someone approached them. Warm arms wrapped around his from behind and he tipped his head back, lips meeting Theo’s in a slow kiss. “Hey,” he murmured as his boyfriend pulled free.

“Hey.” Theo stepped over the chair and sat against his side, their bodies lined up from shoulder to ankle.

“Congratulations.” Mason said, interrupting as he grabbed Theo’s attention. “Bet you’re happy to be done with high school.”

“Oh I don’t know,” Theo drawled as he set his hand on Liam’s knee, “it wasn’t always so bad.”

“You’re a sap.” Liam turned his head and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

“You love me for it.” Theo told him with all of the confidence in the world. Liam’s heart fluttered and he nodded, kissing the corner of his lips.

“Always.” He whispered. He leaned his head against Theo’s and let his comforting voice wash over him. He held his hand and traced aimless patterns across his skin, occasionally pausing to trace his name in black on his wrist. Theo shivered slightly each time, his voice wavering for a moment as he tried to regain focus. Mason kept smirking and sharing looks with Hayden and Corey that Liam chose to ignore. He was allowed to want to be near his boyfriend. He shifted his head and pressed his face to Theo’s throat, breathing in his scent and gently kissing his skin. Theo’s fingers dug sharply into his leg for a moment and Liam smirked, teasingly flicking out his tongue over the hickey before he pulled back with an innocent smile. Before his boyfriend could work up a response, Dr. Geyer called them to announce that burgers were finished. Liam let Hayden move first, about to stand when Theo slid across his lap. He purposefully pressed himself down onto Liam, shooting a wicked smirk over his shoulder as he stood and headed over to the long table where the food had been set up. Liam scrambled after him with a grin, catching him by the hand and pulling him back firmly against his chest. “I love you.” He whispered as he hooked his head over Theo’s shoulder.

“I love you too, little wolf.” Theo murmured, for his ears only. “But you have to let go of me so I can eat.” He smiled softly and Liam kissed his cheek before letting go.

“Theo.” Dr. Geyer smiled warmly as he approached, a plate in hand. “Here’s the turkey burger. I promise it tastes even better than the beef ones.”

“Thank you.” Theo said as he took the plate, smiling gratefully. “I appreciate you doing this.”

“Nonsense, son. We want to keep you around for a long, long time.” He squeezed him lightly on the shoulder. “Just try not to overdo it on the toppings.” He advised before heading into the kitchen to be with the other adults.

“Is that what you guys stopped to pick up?” Liam asked curiously as they stepped into line behind Mason and he reached for a plate.

“My mom wasn’t sure there would be heart healthy options for me. I told her your dad would have it all covered but she insisted on stopping for a bag of chips after she called to double check.” Theo said, grabbing a bun and moving the patty onto it. “That and some blueberries.” He added with a gesture to an open carton further down the line. “Had to make sure my favorite was here.”

“But you already knew I was coming.” Liam joked, beaming as Theo snorted a laugh.

“You’re such a dork.” They moved through the line and piled their plates high with food, going to join the rest of the pack sitting around a couple of card tables that had been set out and pushed together. Liam munched on a handful of chips and leaned back in his chair, listening in as the graduates began to talk about summer plans. Most were going off on family vacations for a few days and Liam knew there was a huge party planned a few weeks from now for most of the graduating class. Aside from that, they had college orientations to attend and then shopping for their dorms. It would be a bittersweet summer, one that he fully intended to cherish with them all. It made him all the more thankful that Theo was staying in town and only had a twenty minute commute. It was hard enough imagining a time without Scott around. He couldn’t begin to picture an extended period of Theo missing from his life. Not again.

After empty plates had been tossed in the bin, most of the older pack members went inside to change into their bathing suits. Stiles was the only one left, chatting animatedly with Mason and gesturing wildly. Liam smiled and tugged his shirt over his head, reaching for the zipper on his cargo shorts when Stiles suddenly stopped and pointed over his shoulder. “ _You._ ”

“Me?” Liam poked himself in the chest with a frown.

“ _You_ weren’t invited.” Stiles continued as though he hadn’t spoken, turning fully around and glaring at something over Liam’s shoulder. Or rather _someone_. He glanced back to see Josh in the doorway, eyes narrowed at Stiles. “I don’t think you have an invitation. No one wants you here.”

“Nobody asked you, Stilinski.” Josh snarked as he held up the graduation program. “This is my invite.”

“Who-“ Stiles started to protest, squawking as Theo walked over and pushed him back into the pool. He flailed and fell into the water fully clothed, splashing wildly as he brought his head above the water with an indignant huff. “Dude! What the hell?!”

“I invited him. Quit being a dick.” Theo said as he walked over to Josh, pulling him in for a hug. The chimera tensed and rolled his eyes, returning it slowly with one arm. “Thanks for coming.”

“I’m not staying.” Josh said as he pulled back. “I got enough weird looks from Lydia and the sheriff and Ms. McCall are pissed at me. I just knew you’d bitch and blow up my phone if I didn’t say hello.”

“Good to know you care.” Theo beamed and took Josh by the hand, dragging him to the food table. “Have something to eat before you go. Take a plate with you.”

“What-no.” Stiles complained as he dragged himself from the pool. “Theo he’s the bad guy. We don’t like him.” He reminded, folding his arms over his chest.

“You know you’re supposed to take your clothes off before you get into the water, right?” Lydia asked as she stepped outside again, lowering her sunglasses. “Hey Josh, there’s soda and water and other drinks inside if you want. The last pink lemonade is mine,” she warned before approaching Stiles and kissing his cheek. “You should really stop pouting like a child.”

“But Josh-“

“Is my guest and my friend.” Theo cut in. “Stiles, I will punch you. I’ll do it.”

“No you won’t.” Josh and Liam reprimanded in unison. They shared a surprised look and the chimera scoffed, shaking his head. “It’s not worth the hassle. I just wanted to come and congratulate you.” He said quietly, shifting in discomfort as Scott and the others walked outside.

“Josh-“ Scott began, his eyes wide in surprise.

“Don’t worry, McCall. I was just leaving.” Josh pressed his plate into Theo’s hands and smirked. “Catch you later, human.” He turned and walked out, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.

“I didn’t know he was coming.” Scott said carefully as he looked to Liam.

“Me either.” He shrugged lightly and walked over to Theo, removing the plate from his hands before wrapping him in his arms. “You okay?” He murmured as Theo leaned into him.

“Yeah. I know it’s not personal.” Theo’s heartbeat wavered in doubt and Liam growled softly, flashing gold eyes at Stiles as he tightened his hold on his soulmate. He held him until the others had distracted themselves with getting into the pool, pressing a warm kiss to his cheek. “Thanks.” Theo murmured. “You want to get in the water? I’m kind of thirsty.” He said as he stepped back, smiling gently. “I’ll be right back.” Turning away, he shuffled toward the house and eased the sliding glass door shut behind him. He walked into the kitchen, smiling weakly at the adults. “Hey. Did Josh come through here?”

“Yeah, sweetheart.” Connie smiled gently. “I heard his bike a minute ago. But he left something for you. He said he wanted to stay but he had plans with his cousin or something.” She reached over the counter and picked up a thin square package that was neatly wrapped. “Here.”

“Thanks.”  He traced his fingers softly along the edge and stepped toward the living room to unwrap it in private. The paper fell away to reveal a pristine Bob Dylan record, an original pressing. “Motherfucker…” Theo breathed out in reverence as he stroked his fingers along the plastic covering. Albums like this were almost impossible to come by and Theo had complained about it once, some night when he and Liam and Josh were hanging out in his bedroom going through his record collection. He hadn’t brought it up again yet somehow that asshole still managed to remember and track it down for him. Grinning, he cradled the record tightly to his chest and closed his eyes for a moment. It didn’t matter that the pack didn’t understand. Josh had always been a true friend to him and nothing was going to change that.The chimera might act like he didn’t give a damn but this record proved the truth.

After hiding it with his jacket and belongings, he headed into the bathroom to ditch his contacts so he wouldn’t risk an eye infection. Thank fuck he wasn’t totally blind without them. He hit the light switch and carefully made his way back out to the pool, unable to stop smiling. He stripped down to his swim trunks and climbed down the steps into the warm water where everyone else was having a blast. Scott and Stiles had teamed up against Malia and Lydia in a heated game of chicken at the deep end while Liam and the others congregated against the wall on the shallow end, cheering them on. He lifted his arms over his head and swam over, pulling himself up on the wall alongside Liam. “Hey,” he grinned as he leaned in for a kiss.

“You’re in a good mood all of a sudden. What happened?” Liam asked, turning and wrapping his arms around his waist. He leaned himself back against the wall and raised his legs slightly, giving Theo the perfect place to sit.

“We’ll see you guys later.” Hayden said knowingly before dragging Corey and Mason away.

“Subtle.” Theo laughed and pressed his lips to Liam’s jaw. “Josh left me a graduation gift. It was really sweet.” He said softly, biting the inside of his cheek. “You’re not upset about that, are you?” He asked softly.

“Absolutely not. He’s your friend and even if he gets on my nerves, it’s obvious he cares about you. We all need a friend.” Liam gently rubbed his hand along Theo’s spine. “The only time I’ll worry is when you tell me you’re having fantasies about him.” He grinned as Theo let out a startled laugh, smacking him on the shoulder.

“Gross,” he said. “I don’t think about him that way. You’re the only one for me, Dunbar.” Theo leaned in, softly pressing their lips together. Liam kept the kiss gentle and chaste, his hands settling on Theo’s waist as he held his boyfriend steady. Theo leaned back and smiled warmly, ducking his head to kiss the tip of his nose. He shifted forward, the water gently lapping around them as they gazed at one another.

“I like the sound of that.” Liam agreed before moving in, brushing his lips along Theo’s throat. He tasted like chlorine and sweat from the overbearing sun but Liam loved it. He laved his tongue across one of the hickeys, softly scraping his teeth to get a reaction. A whine answered him and another shift of hips, Theo pressing into him and locking his knees around his waist. Liam kissed him slowly, tracing his tongue along his lower lip until his boyfriend granted him access. He slid one hand from his waist and used it to knead Theo’s ass, loving the way he whimpered softly into his mouth and rolled his hips. He couldn’t do much more, not with the pack so close and a room full of adults just a few yards away. But for now this was enough, making out with his boyfriend and doing everything in his power to make him happy. He was determined to never lose this again, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special shoutout to Adri for helping choose the record that Josh gave to Theo!


End file.
